Cougar women win golf championship
The University of Minnesota, Morris' women's golf team won the 2009 Upper Midwest Athletic Conference championship. Paced by three all-conference players, the Cougars finished 16 strokes ahead of second place Northwestern College, at the Alexandria Golf Club Oct. 2-3.
The men's team finished in fourth place, passing Martin Luther College on day two. Two Cougars earned all-conference honors by virtue of a top-five finish. North Central University won the men's team title.
The Cougar women and North Central University men battled through rain, wind and cold weather all weekend to emerge victorious.
Both teams held at least a share of the lead after competition on Day 1 and never looked back. North Central, who entered Saturday's final round tied for the lead with Bethany Lutheran College after a 331 on Friday, bested the VIkings' team score by four strokes on Day 2 to shoot a 331-312-643. Even though the Rams didn't have any players in the tournament's top five places, North Central occupied spots Nos. 7, 8, 10 and 11 on the final scoresheet. The Morris women's team was the opposite, as three Cougars made a name for themselves in the Top 5.
Northwestern College boasted both genders' medalists, as Nick Olson carded a two-day score of 79-76-155 on the men's side while Kristina Siemen's wrapped up her weekend with a 90-92-182. Both medalists had opponents who finished within just a stroke of their winning score.
In the team competition, Bethany Lutheran's men's squad finished with a 331-316-647 to take second, while Northwestern left Alexandria with a 337-320-657 third place.
On the women's side, Northwestern came into the clubhouse 28 strokes behind Morris with a 419-411-830. Presentation College's 458-451-909 was good for third place.
Women's Individual Scores
Top 5 are All-Conference
Kristina Siemens (NWC) 182
Ashley Watson (UMM) 183
Abigail Lecy (BLC) 185
Caitlin Hanson (UMM) 187
Julie Althoff (UMM) 201
Other UMM Finishers
Deidre Konold (UMM) 231
Lianna Sanders (UMM) 261
Men's Individual Scores
Top 5 are All-Conference
Nick Olson (NWC) 155
Joe Baer (BLC) 156
Derek Dionne (UMM) 157
Isaac Crass (MLC) 158
Mitch Koepp (BLC) 159
David Katz (UMM) 159
Other UMM Finishers
Dane Kelly (UMM) 170
Kyle Michel (UMM) 180
Josh Nyquist (UMM) 185
