Notre Dame Women's Golf Finishes 13th At Indiana Invitational

April 8, 2001

Bloomington, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame women’s golf team moved up one spot in the standings on Sunday afternoon to finish 13th at the Indiana Invitational with a 54-hole total of 993. The Irish lowered their score by 20 strokes compared to Saturday’s final round of 337 by shooting a 317 total for the day. Notre Dame came into today’s final round in 14th place after rounds of 339 and 337 on Saturday.

The Irish finished the tournament 71 strokes behind Michigan State as the Spartans won the tournament by 11 strokes over Kent State. Michigan State played the 54-hole tourney on the 6,134 yard, par 74 Indiana University Golf Course with rounds of 314, 313 and a one-under par 295 in the final round for a 922 total. MSU entered the day with just a one stroke lead over Ohio State and Indiana, but was nine strokes better than any other team on Sunday for the win.

Kent State finished second with a 933 total and was followed by Northwestern (939), Ohio State (940) and Indiana (943) to round out the top five teams in the 15-team tournament.

Leading Notre Dame individually was senior Shane Smith (St. Petersburg, Fla.) who finished in a tie for 23rd with an 18-over par total of 240. Smith rebounded from an 81-82 opening day to shoot a three-over par 77 in the final round. Her 240 score put her 17 strokes behind Michigan State’s Emily Bastel who took medalist honors with a one-over par 223 (74-73-76) in the tournament. Bastel won by two strokes over Kent State’s Martina Gillen (225) and three over teammate Stacy Snider (226).

Freshman Shannon Byrne (Arlington Heights, Ill.) turned in the best round of the tournament for Notre Dame as she fired a two-over 76 in the final round to put her in a tie for 42nd with a 245 total. Byrne shot 82 and 87 for the opening 36 holes of the tourney.

Following Byrne among the Irish golfers was sophomore Terri Taibl (Elm Grove, Wisc.), who finished in 62nd place with a 253 score (89-81-83). Senior Danielle Villarosa (Verona, N.J.) finished in a tie for 68th as she shot an 81 in the final round to give her a 54-hole total of 257 (87-89-81). Kristin McMurtrie (Jr., Calgary, Alb.) tied for 74th on the weekend with a 266 total on rounds of 91-87 and 88.

The women’s golf team returns to action on Friday, April 14 at the Illinois Invitational in Champaign, Ill.

TEAM RESULTS (FINAL 54-hole totals):

1. Michigan State 314-313-295-922, 2. Kent State 312-317-304-933, 3. Northwestern 317-318-304-939, 4. Ohio State 316-312-312-940, 5. Indiana 309-319-315-943, 6. Michigan 322-321-315-958, 7. Missouri 327-318-317-962, 8. Minnesota 328-322-313-963, 9. Wisconsin 329-319-316-964, 10. Kansas 325-328-319-982, 11. Ohio University 330-328-327-985, 12. Southern Illinois 338-332-318-988, 13. Notre Dame 339-337-317-993, 14. Iowa 345-327-329-1001, 15. Illinois State 352-344-328-1024.

TOP 10 INDIVIDUALS (of 78):

1. Emily Bastel (Michigan State) 74-73-76-223, 2. Martina Gillen (Kent State) 77-73-75-225, 3. Stacy Snider (Michigan State) 77-78-71-226, 4. Mollie Fankhauser (Ohio State) 76-78-74-228, Natalie Tucker (Indiana) 75-78-75-228, 6. Amelia Moses (Missouri) 78-74-78-230, 7. Elizabeth Burden (Northwestern) 77-80-74-231, Jan Dowling (Kent State) 76-79-76-231, 9. Katie Connelly (Wisconsin) 77-78-77-232, 10. Three tied with 234.

NOTRE DAME SCORES:

t23. Shane Smith 81-82-77-240, t42. Shannon Byrne 82-87-76-245, 62. Terri Taibl 89-81-83-253, t68. Danielle Villarosa 87-89-81-257, t74. Kristin McMurtrie 91-87-88-266.