Bears Finish Second at MVC Women’s Golf Championship
Three earn all-tournament honors; Pettersen, Kane claim Newcomer, Coach of the Year, respectively
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BURLINGTON, Iowa – Missouri State finished second in the 2015 Missouri Valley Conference Women’s Golf Championship Tuesday, shooting a final-round 26-over 314 and 73-over 937 for the tournament at Spirit Hollow Golf Course.
Freshman Verena Gimmy and junior Megan Furnish each shot final rounds of 5-over-par 77 to pace the Bears on the last day. An 80 from senior Chiara Citterio helped her to fourth place, the Bears’ top individual finish in the event, at the 6,024-yard, par-72 course.
Missouri State was 13 strokes behind Wichita State, which claimed the team title for the second consecutive season and fourth time overall on the strength of a 24-over 312 final round for a three-day 924 total.
“Obviously, second place was not what we came here for, but we dug ourselves a hole on the first day and Wichita State played well all three rounds,” said MSU head coach Kevin Kane, who was named MVC Coach of the Year for the fourth time in his career. “Having said that, if you would have told me that, at the beginning of the year, we would be bringing a trophy home from the Valley tournament, I would have had a hard time believing that.”
Citterio finished at 16-over 232 and was one of three Bears, including freshman Stine Pettersen and Gimmy, named to the all-tournament team.
“I’m especially happy for Chiara to make the all-tournament team,” Kane said. “She had a great last semester to finish her career strong.”
Gimmy’s final round propelled her into a tie for 10th place overall at 20-over 236, while Pettersen carded a final-round 80 to grab a share of 12th place with Furnish at 21-over.
Senior Megan Thompson shot 87 Tuesday to finish 29th at 29-over 245.
Pettersen was named MVC Newcomer of the Year, becoming the third MSU golfer to earn the distinction since the award’s inception in 2007, joining Catherine Dolan (2009) and Heather Smith (2010). Kane, in his 13th season at Missouri State, also won the Coach of the Year in 1998, 2002 and 2012.
“I’m really proud of how we improved and developed throughout the year,” he said. “This has definitely been one of the more satisfying years I have had.”
The Shockers’ Alejandra Arellano shot a 76 in the final round to sew up medalist honors at 6-over 222 for the tournament.
Southern Illinois took third in the team standings, shooting 314 for 948 overall. Illinois State (86-over 950) fired the low round of the day at 23-over 311 to take fourth. Bradley was fifth at 96-over 960.
Indiana State (97-over 961), Loyola (101-over 965), Evansville (112-over 976), Northern Iowa (125-over 989) and Drake (133-over 997) rounded out the field.
