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SAFFOLD RECORDS FOURTH CAREER TOP 10 FINISH AT BIG SKY CHAMPIONSHIP
4/20/2011
Samantha Saffod shot a 2-over 74 in the final round of the 2011 Big Sky Championship.
CHANDLER, Ariz. — Samantha Saffold closed her collegiate career in historic fashion, becoming the first Hornet golfer to finish in the top 10 of the Big Sky Championships four times. The senior shot 74 in the final round and finished tied for ninth at 76-76-74-226.
The Hornets moved into fifth place after shooting 308 in the third round. The total was the best by the team in the three days. Portland State ran away from the field, totaling 880 to win the team title by 11 strokes. The Vikings' total broke the previous conference record of 884 which was set by Sacramento State in 2007.
A couple of individual records were also set during the week. Portland State's Britney Yada shot 72-68-70-210 to become the medalist and better the 54-hole record. The Hornets' Margaux Sheehan had shared the previous mark of 216 in 2007. Bethany Leclair of Northern Arizona fired a 5-under 67 to break the single-round mark of 68 which was held by Sacramento State's Sarah Kuykendall.
"You have to tip your hat to Portland State," Sacramento State head coach David Sutherland said. "They played a level of golf that we're not used to seeing at the Big Sky Championship."
Saffold parred her first 12 holes before back-to-back bogeys took her to 2-over. Two more pars were followed by a bogey on the par-5 17th. Saffold secured her top 10 finish with a birdie on the par-5 18th.
"I'm really happy for Samantha," Sutherland said. "She has been a great leader for our team this year and it is quite an accomplishment to finish in the top 10 all four years."
Julie Shutler tied for 16th overall at 79-74-76-229. Shutler was 4-over at the turn on Wednesday and began the back nine with three consecutive pars. Birdies on the par-4 13th and 15th were sandwiched around a bogey. Two more pars kept her at 3-over before a bogey on 18.
Kercia Brakel posted the second-best round for the Hornets on Wednesday with a 75. Brakel parred 11of the first 12 holes with a bogey on the par-5 6th serving as the lone exception. From that point, Brakel carded two pars and three bogeys before ending her round with a birdie on 18. For the tournament, the sophomore shot 77-79-75 to place 21st.
Ellese Dias provided the final counting score for the team on Wednesday. Dias shot 81-83-83-247 to tie for 34th. In her final round, Dias mixed eight pars, nine bogeys and a double-bogey.
The Sacramento State lineup was completed by Kristen Watson who tied for 36th after shooting 80-83-86-249.
TEAM SCORES
1. Portland State 303-287-290-880
2. Northern Arizona 304-296-291-891
3. Northern Colorado 308-305-295-908
4. Montana 304-307-303-914
5. SACRAMENTO STATE 312-312-308-932
6. Montana State 319-304-311-934
7. Weber State 321-319-306-936
8. Eastern Washington 322-314-316-952
9. Idaho State 335-343-320-998
INDIVIDUAL TOP FIVE
1. Britney Yada, PSU, 72-68-70-210
2. Bethany Leclair, NAU, 73-75-67-215
3. Carleigh Silvers, NC, 76-72-71-219
4. Ashli Helstrom, UM, 73-71-77-221
5. Alexa Kim, NAU, 78-70-74-222
SACRAMENTO STATE SCORES
T9. Samantha Saffold 76-75-75-226
T16. Julie Shutler 79-74-76-229
21. Kercia Brakel 77-79-75-231
T34. Ellese Dias 81-83-83-247
T36. Kristen Watson 80-83-86-249
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