Michigan State University
Waterlefe/USF Invitational
Women's Golf Captures Second Straight Title
3/21/2000 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
March 21, 2000
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State shot a 294 Tuesday to claim the tournament championship in the 15-team Waterlefe/South Florida Invitational. It marks the second consecutive title for the Spartans, who won the Peggy Kirk Bell Invitational last week. MSU's three-round score of 299-302-294=895 at the Waterlefe Country Club in Sarasota, Fla., beat second-place South Florida by 27 strokes, the largest margin between two places in the tournament.
The Spartans, who have now won two tournaments this year and five tournaments under third-year head coach Stacy Slobodnik, shot their fourth and fifth rounds under 300 this weekend. Today's 294 marked the third-lowest team round in Michigan State history.
Slobodnik's Spartans were led by a group of four golfers in the top eight individually. Junior Kasey Gant (Fort Wayne, Ind.) highlighted that group, as her first-round 69 (three-under-par) propelled her into a second-place finish (69-78-72=219, two strokes behind tournament champion Angie Connell of South Florida). Gant's 69 marked her fourth career round under 70 - the only Michigan State golfer ever to shoot under 70.
Providing support were redshirt freshman Shellie Morton (Detroit, Mich.), sophomore Emily Bastel (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) and sophomore Stacy Snider (Grand Rapids, Mich.), all in the top eight. Morton had the best tournament of her career, firing a 73-81-71=225 for a share of fourth place. She improved upon her previous career-low of 75 twice in the two-day event. Bastel took sixth place with a three-round total of 79-73-75=227, while Snider claimed a share of eighth at 78-75-76=229.
Michigan State last won back-to-back tournaments last fall, when they captured three straight championships to open the 1998-99 season. MSU finished last year in the NCAA East Regional and is in strong position to make a return trip this season. The Spartans return to action April 8-9 in the Indiana Invitational.
WATERLEFE/USF INVITATIONAL ? WATERLEFE C.C. ? SARASOTA, FLA. ? PAR 72 ? 5,909 YARDS
TEAM STANDINGS (with top 50 Golfweek ranking)1. #34 MICHIGAN STATE 299-302-294=8952. #39 South Florida 305-306-311=9223. #30 Northwestern 315-307-301=9234. #43 Central Florida 308-302-314=9245. Vanderbilt 312-310-306=9286. #48 Campbell 318-314-315=9477. Sam Houston State 318-308-324=950 Arkansas-Little Rock 315-324-311=9509. Southern Mississippi 310-318-324=95210. #49 Mississippi 326-316-311=95311. Iowa 327-315-312=95412. Miami 324-310-323=95713. Coll. Of Charleston 321-328-313=96214. Georgia State 328-327-315=97015. South Alabama 334-333-325=992
TOP 8 INDIVIDUALS1. Angie Connell (USF) 68-76-73=2172. Kasey Gant (MSU) 69-78-72=2193. Meredeth Ward (Vand.) 74-71-79=2244. Julie Sabo (Vand.) 81-72-72=225 Shellie Morton (MSU) 73-81-71=2256. Emily Bastel (MSU) 79-73-75=2277. Jennifer Bridwell (Charl.) 76-76-76=2288. Marella Canepa (So.Miss.) 75-77-77=229 Stacy Snider (MSU) 78-75-76=229
OTHER MSUt27. Jessica Till (MSU) 82-76-78=236
