First-Year Wonders, Lady Eagles Capture SAC Title in Program's First Season
April 21, 2009
SAC Tournament Final Results
SAC Tournament Team Results & Top 20
ETOWAH, N.C. --- The Carson-Newman College Lady Eagles led wire-to-wire in winning the 54-hole 2009 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Women's Golf Championship by 15 strokes on Tuesday afternoon in Etowah, N.C.
The Lady Eagles, who are in the first year of intercollegiate competition, placed two players on the SAC All-Tournament First Team, led by medalist Sarah Jane Sinard (Jefferson City, Tenn.), who also led wire-to-wire with three-consecutive rounds of 75 to finish with 225, which ties a new SAC Tournament record. Sinard matches the 225 posted by Catawba College's Paige Haverty in the 2006 SAC Championship. She finished two strokes ahead of Catawba's Kelsey Babos.
Carson-Newman fought off high winds to finish at 328 on the tournament's final day.
"I think we probably played our best rounds of the season this week," said Carson-Newman head coach Holly Cantwell. "The girls like the course, they play well on this course. We played here back in October, and they knew what to expect coming in."
"I couldn't ask for a better group of girls for our first season," she added. "They are all good players, but on top of that they have a lot of heart and a lot of passion. They've worked so hard for this and its just awesome to see them achieve their goal."
The Lady Eagles tallied a three-day 968, 15 strokes ahead of runner-up Wingate University (983). Catawba finished third with 999, followed by Tusculum College (1011), Newberry College (1020), Lenoir-Rhyne University (1022), Lincoln Memorial University (1032), Mars Hill College (1107) and Brevard College (1229).
Lady Eagle sophomore Jessica Tarbet (Kennesaw, Ga.) turned in one of her best tournaments of the year. The Kennesaw State transfer finished third overall with a 235 (+10).
Fellow sophomore Caitlin Fortner (Greeneville, Tenn.) closed in a tie for 12th at 250, while freshman Erica Ray (Maryville, Tenn.) finished in a tie for 26th (262). Freshman Jennifer Oliver (Knoxville, Tenn.) carded a 94 on the final round to take 31st, but both Ray and Oliver contributed key rounds during Monday's 36 holes, carding counted scores of 83 and 85 respectively.
Joining Sinard, Tarbet, and Babos as First-Team All-Tournament selections are Ashley Denton (Wingate) and Brenna Martens (Lenoir-Rhyne). SAC Player of the Year Maria Besio (Newberry) finished sixth to garner a spot on the All-Tournament Second Team. Joining Besio are Eileen Purpur (Catawba), Katie Thackerson (Lenoir-Rhyne), Emily Palenkas (Tusculum), Maria Stapleton (Lincoln Memorial) and Megan Ulep (Lenoir-Rhyne).
The SAC Championship was held at the Par 72, 5,852-yard Etowah Valley Country Club and Golf Resort.
- SAC -
2009 Food Lion SAC All-Tournament Women's Golf Team
First Team
Sarah Jane Sinard, Carson-Newman (Medalist)
Kelsey Babos, Catawba
Jessica Tarbet, Carson-Newman
Ashley Denton, Wingate
Brenna Martens, Lenoir-Rhyne
Second Team
Maria Besio, Newberry
Eileen Purpur, Catawba
Katie Thackerson, Lenoir-Rhyne
Emily Palenkas, Tusculum
Maria Stapleton, Lincoln Memorial
Megan Ulep, Lenoir-Rhyne
