Willamette Women's Golf Team Ready for NWC Fall Classic

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

SALEM, ORE. -- The first of three Northwest Conference championship events in women's golf will be held this weekend, as Chehalem Glenn Golf Course near Newberg, Ore., will be the site of the NWC Fall Classic. The 36-hole event will feature one round on Saturday, Oct. 25 with the second round on Sunday, Oct. 26.

All nine NWC teams are expected to compete. The NWC Fall Classic counts toward one fourth of the overall NWC women's golf title. The final two tournaments used to determine the team title will be held next spring. The NWC Spring Classic is worth one fourth of the title and the NWC Tournament is worth one-half of the title.

Willamette will have five golfers competing at Chehalem Glenn. They are LettaJoe Gallup (Jr., Alameda, CA/Holy Names HS), Taneesh Sra (Jr., Fremont, CA/Mission San Jose HS), Maddi Barnett (Fr., Boise, ID/Timberline HS), Elise Levy (Jr., Reno, NV/Bishop Manogue HS) and Stephanie Aronson (Fr., Pleasanton, CA/Foothill HS).

In action earlier this fall, the Bearcats took second place at the Pacific Fall Opener on Sept. 20-21 and placed fourth at the GFU Culturame Classic on Oct. 11-12.

At the Pacific Fall Opener, the Bearcats registered a two-day score of 658 (324-334) at Quail Valley Golf Course. Gallup was Willamette's top finisher in seventh place at 162 (80-82). Barnett tied for 11th place at 164 (80-84), while Sra tied for 1eth place with a score of 165 (80-85).

Willamette finished with a 36-hole score of 690 (346-344) at the GFU Culturame Classic, which was played at The Reserve Vineyards and Golf Club. Gallup tied for 11th place at 160, with an 80 in the first round and a 78 in the second round. Sra tied for 21st at 168 (89-79).

Whitman College won the Pacific Fall Opener at 632 (329-303). Kelly Sweeney of Whitman took first place in the individual standings at 71-81--152, as she won by three strokes. Emily Cook of Pacific Lutheran University was second at 74-81-155, while Alyssa Main of Whitman placed third at 77-79-156.

George Fox University took first place at the Culturame Classic, winning its home event with a score of 625 (310-315). Whitman placed second, 13 shots back at 638 (311-327), after trailing by just one stroke after the first round. Sydney Maluenda from GFU won the individual title with a 1-under-par 145 (73-72) over the par 73 course.

Maluenda was followed by two University of Oregon golfers who tied for second place. Each shot 146, with Megan Condor earning 72-74 and Marcella Pranovia carding 70-76.

The NWC Fall Classic is the final event on the Willamette women's golf schedule until the spring season.