Sept. 13, 1998
EAST LANSING, Mich. — The University of Notre Dame women’s golf team slipped into a tie for fifth place following final-round action Sunday at the Mary Fossum Invitational, held at the par-72, 5,826-yard Forest Akers West Golf Course.
The Irish stood in second place after a morning round of 308 on Saturday before slipping into a tie for fourth after an afternoon round of 321. Sunday’s round of 324 in the play-six/count-four format dropped the Irish into a three-way tie with Michigan (315-318-320) and Illinois State (317-318-318) for fifth at 953.
Host Michigan State (302-293-300/895) led throughout en route to a comfortable 34-stroke cushion and the team title. Wisconsin (315-299-315/929) took second place, followed by Ohio University (309-320-316/945) and Kent (312-315-324/951), which edged the Irish by two strokes.
Irish Junior captain Andrea Klee (Appleton, Wis.), who opened with matching rounds of 77 on Saturday, fired a final-round 82 to finish tied for 16th with a career-best 236. Sophomore Mary Klein (76-83-81; Kokomo, Ind.) and junior Brigid Fisher (78-81-81; Augusta, Ga.) wrapped up solid outings by earning a share for 24th in the 89-player field, at 240.
Sophomore Becca Schloss (77-80-85; Bloomsburg, Pa.) finished tied for 28th while junior Beth Cooper (Kalamazoo, Mich.) bounced back from a rough first two rounds (84-86) to post a final-round 80 for a 250 total. Schloss made one of two eagles in the entire tournament, chipping in on a par-three hole early in the first round.
Newcomer Shane Smith (St. Petersburg, Fla.), a sophomore transfer from SMU, finished in the top 50 after rounds of 83-83-84/251. Freshman Kristin McMurtrie (82-84-85/251; Calgary, Alb.) and sophomore Danielle Villarosa (88-87-88/262; Verona, N.J.) also competed in the tournament as individual entrants.
Klee posted the seventh-best scoring average over the par-four holes (4.33, +10) and tied for the fourth-best average on the par-five holes (4.92/-1). She carded 35 pars over the 54 holes, tying for the fourth-most pars in the tournament.
As a team, Notre Dame ranked eighth on the par-three holes (3.58, +42), fifth on the par-four holes (4.57, +103) and third on the par-five holes (5.25/+18).
FINAL TEAM STANDINGS (54 holes): 1. Michigan State 302-293-300/895; 2. Wisconsin 315-299-315/929; 3. Ohio 309-320-316/945; 4. Kent 312-315-324/951; 5. Notre Dame 308-321-324/953; Michigan 315-318-320/953; Illinois State 317-318-318/953; 8. Toledo 319-319-321/959; 9. Eastern Michigan 324-320-326/970; 10. Cincinnati 334-321-327/982; 11. Bowling Green 334-334-348/1016; 12. Illinois 344-341-348/1033; 13. Grand Valley State 338-348-356/1042
TOP INDIVIDUALS (of 89): 1. Kasey Gant (MSU) 75-74-75/224; 2. Emily Bastel (MSU 76-76-73/225; 3. Julee Sovesky (OHIO) 77-76-73/226; 4. Stacy Snider (MSU) 80-74-73/227; 5. Jessica Popiel (TOL) 77-72-79/228; 6. Allie Blomquist (WIS) 78-75-76/229; Ellen Bishop (MSU) 74-75-80/229; 8. Cheryl Tooshkenig (KENT) 75-80-77/232; 9. Meggan Schumaker (MSU) 83-70-80/233; Sharon Park (MICH) 79-76-78/233; Cindy Gant (TOL) 78-78-77/233; Patty Frohna (WIS) 78-79-76/233.
NOTRE DAME SCORES: 16. Andrea Klee 77-77-82/236; 24. Mary Klein 76-83-81/240; Brigid Fisher 78-81-81/240; 28. Becca Schloss 77-80-85/242; 45. Beth Cooper 84-86-80/250; 49. Shane Smith 83-84-84/251; 49. Kristin McMurtrie (ind.) 82-84-85/251; 69. Danielle Villarosa (ind.) 88-87-87/262.