Ninety Six, S.C. - Gardner-Webb seniors Meghan
Allum and Hannah
Hellyer each finished out their four-year careers at GWU on a
high note, as both placed in the top-15 overall to help lead the
Runnin' Bulldogs to a fourth-place team finish this week at the
2013 Big South Women's Golf Championship presented by Musco Sports
Lighting hosted by Presbyterian College at The Patriot Golf Club in
Ninety Six, S.C.
As a team, the Runnin' Bulldogs shot a low round of 301, +13, on
Tuesday to finish in fourth-place overall with a final three-round
combined score of 917, +53. GWU carded rounds of 306, +18, and
310, +22, over the first two rounds of play on Sunday and
Monday.
Allum recorded rounds of 74, 75 and 77, to finish in a tie for
11th-place overall with a combined three-round score of 226, +10.
The top-15 finish at the Championship this year was her fourth
straight top-16 finish at the event over her four years at
Gardner-Webb and was the best finish she has had at the postseason
conference tournament overall by besting her 12th-place finish last
year.
The senior led the team and was third in the tournament field in
par 3 scoring average at 2.83, -2 under, and finished tied for the
GWU team lead along with Hellyer with four birdies and 37 pars over
the 54-hole event.
Hellyer recorded a 15th-place finish overall for the three-day
event with her combined score of 228, +12, as the senior shot an
even 72 on Tuesday in the final round of play after posting a first
round 76, +4, and a second round 80, +8. The two-time Big South
All-Conference performer, who finished tied with Allum for both the
team lead in birdies and pars at the Championship, tallied her
third straight top-15 finish at the Big South Championship after
taking second-place overall in 2011 and fifth-place in 2012.
Freshman Mary
Katherine Donovan posted a strong performance in her first-ever
Big South Championship Tournament, as the newcomer remained
consistent throughout the three-days of play, registering rounds of
78, 78 and 77 to finish in a tie at 23rd-place overall with her
final score of 233, +17. Donovan led the Runnin' Bulldogs with a
par 5 scoring average of 4.92, -1 under par, over the 54 hole event
on the week.
Rounding out the field for the Runnin' Bulldogs were seniors Lauren
Smith and Sammy
Vass who both finished in a log jam at 31st-place with their
final scores of 238, +22. Smith, who posted rounds of 78, 79 and
81, finished the tournament with 36 pars overall and wrapped up her
career at GWU having played in a total of 40 tournaments for the
Runnin' Bulldogs over her four-year career.
Vass, who was named to the Big South All-Academic Team at the
Awards Banquet last night, improved each day at the three-day event
with her rounds of 85, 78 and 75. Vass totaled 33 pars over the
54-hole event and posted the second lowest score for the Runnin'
Bulldogs in the final round of play on Tuesday.
No. 39 nationally ranked Coastal Carolina won the tournament, as
the Chanticleers carded a low round of 292, +4, on Tuesday to
finish the three-day event with a team low combined score of 880,
+16. The Chanticleers finished eight strokes ahead of second-place
finisher and No. 34 nationally ranked Campbell, who carded a
tournament team score of 888, +24, for the week.
Coastal Carolina's Brittany Henderson took individual honors
overall, as she finished with a three round combined score of 219,
+3, to take first-place and edge fellow teammate Lena Schaeffner
and Ariel Witmer of Longwood who both finished in a tie for
second-place overall at 220, +4.
Joining Henderson, Schaeffner and Witmer on the Big South
All-Championship Team, which is comprised up of the top-five
individuals at the conclusion of the tournament, was Jessica
Alexander of Coastal Carolina and Tahnia Ravnjak of Campbell.
The fourth-place finish was the fifth straight top-five team
finish for the Runnin' Bulldogs at the Big South Women's Golf
Championship, as GWU took third-place in 2012, second-place overall
as a team in 2011 and fifth-place in both 2010 and 2009.
###
4th - Gardner-Webb - 306, 310, 301 = 917,
+53
T11th - Meghan
Allum - 74, 75, 77 = 226, +10
15th - Hannah
Hellyer - 76, 80, 72 = 228, +12
T-23rd - Mary
Katherine Donovan - 78, 78, 77 = 233, +17
T-31st - Lauren
Smith - 78, 79, 81 = 238, +22
T-31st - Sammy
Vass - 85, 78, 75 = 238, +22