Bearcats Finish Second at Season-Opening Pacific Fall Opener

By Mark Colachico, Interim Assistant Athletics Communications Director

BANKS, ORE. -- At the end of its season-opening tournament, Willamette University's women's golf team took home runner-up honors behind four players that finished in the Top 20 individually at the Pacific Fall Opener. The two-round tournament was played at Quail Valley Golf Course west of Portland.

As a team, the Bearcats posted a combined score of 82-over 658 (324-334) and finished 26 strokes behind tournament winner Whitman College (309-323=632). Behind the Missionaries and Bearcats were Whitworth University (334-328=662), Pacific Lutheran University (333-336=669), Lewis & Clark College (353-352=705), Linfield College (374-356=730), tournament host Pacific University of Oregon (403-394=797), and University of Puget Sound (440-447=887).

LettaJoe Gallup (Jr., Alameda, CA/Holy Names HS) posted the lowest finish for Willamette, as the third-year Bearcat finished seventh overall with a two-round score of 18-over 162 (80-82). Gallup finished 10 shots behind Whitman's Kelly Sweeney (71-81=152), who took home medalist honors for the Missionaries.

Maddi Barnett (Fr., Boise, ID/Timberline HS) closed out her first collegiate tournament in a two-way tie for 11th overall, as the first-year Bearcat carded a 36-hole score of 20-over 164 (80-84).

Taneesh Sra (Jr., Fremont, CA/Mission San Jose HS) was one stroke behind Barnett in a two-way tie for 13th place, as she turned in a two-day score of 21-over 165 (80-85) en route to finishing in the Top 15 on the final leaderboard.

Elise Levy (Jr., Reno, NV/Bishop Manogue HS) rounded out Willamette's scoring quartet with a 36-hole score of 23-over 167 (84-83), while Stephanie Aronson (Fr., Pleasanton, CA/Foothill HS) finished 33rd overall with a two-round total of 63-over 207 (106-101).

Competing as an individual for the Bearcats was Holly Steele (Fr., Stayton, OR/Stayton HS), as she finished all alone in 38th place after a 36-hole score of 91-over 235 (115-120).

Willamette will return to the links on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 11 & 12, at the Culturame Classic hosted by George Fox University (Ore.). The two-day tournament will be played at The Reserve Vineyards & Golf Club in Aloha, Oregon beginning at 9 a.m. (PST) on Saturday and 10 a.m. (PST) on Sunday.