Bearcats Hook and Srivastav Improve on 2nd Day of NWC Fall Classic

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

BANKS, Ore. -- Willamette University women's golfers Meghan Hook (Sr., Sunnyvale, CA/Homestead HS) and Anushka Srivastav (Fy., Pune, India/Mahindra International School) improved during the second round of the Northwest Conference Fall Classic on Sunday, Oct. 10 at Quail Valley Golf Course. George Fox University won the team title with a 36-hole score of 576.

Hook improved by six strokes from the first round to the second round, as she opened the tournament with a 95 on Saturday before shooting an 89 on Sunday. She tied for 23rd place with an overall score of 184. Srivastav lowered her score of 106 in the first round by eight strokes on Sunday, as she carded a 98. Srivastav shot 204 for the tournament. A total of 42 golfers competed in at least one round during the event.

"Megan broke her personal record score yesterday and followed it up by smashing it by six strokes," Willamette Head Women's Golf Coach Patrick Daugherty said. "We have worked so much on the little details this fall that it's so cool to see it pay off this weekend. What an awesome weekend for Meghan.

"Anushka started practicing just two weeks ago," Daugherty explained. "While she does have a background in golf, she hasn't been in competition or on a team in about five years. She is so coachable. Her round today was just great to see."

George Fox achieved its winning score of 576 with rounds of 292 and 284, with the Bruins earning even par for the tournament. Whitworth University finished in second place at 647 after shooting 317 and 330. Whitman College was third at 658 (325-333), while Pacific Lutheran University took fourth place at 705 (342-363). Linfield University placed fifth at 729 (361-368), the University of Puget Sound was sixth at 769 (389-380), and Pacific University was seventh at 810 (392-418). Willamette did not field a complete team, while only one of L&C's five golfers played both rounds, so the Pioneers did not record a team score.

The top four golfers in the individual standings were from GFU. Liana Brown took first place at 1-under par 143 after shooting a 74 in the first round and a 3-under 69 in the second round. Makensie Toole grabbed second place at even par 144 with scores of 73 and 71. Alison Takamiya and Avery Kageyama tied for third place at 145. Takamiya shot 74-71 and Kageyama carded 72-73.

Fifth place was a tie between Kaitlyn Tonai of GFU and Kamryn Ford of Lewis & Clark, both at 147 with rounds of 73 and 74. Katya Kurkoski from Whitman was seventh at 150 (74-76). Whitworth golfers Brianna McNelly and Madeline Hahn tied for eighth place at 159 with identical scores of 76 and 83. Pavita Sidhu of Whitman (81-84) and Julia Diaz from Whitworth (84-81) finished in a tie for 10th place at 165.

The NWC Fall Classic is the first of three tournaments played each year to determine the NWC team champion in women's golf. The NWC Fall Classic and the NWC Spring Classic are each worth one-fourth of the title, while the NWC Tournament is worth one-half of the title. George Fox leads the current point standings with 8 points. Whitworth follows in second with 7 points, and Whitman is third with 6 points. Pacific Lutheran is fourth at 5 points, while Linfield is fifth with 4 points, Puget Sound is sixth with 3 points, and Pacific is seventh with 2 points.

Willamette will compete at the Bushnell Invitational on Sunday, Oct. 17 and Monday, Oct. 18. The tournament will be held at the Emerald Valley Golf Club in Creswell, Oregon.