East Carolina University
Day 3
Hardison Takes Eighth At Las Vegas Collegiate Showdown
October 26, 2011 | Women's Golf
Oct. 26, 2011
LAS VEGAS, Nev. - East Carolina sophomore Faith Hardison carded a 2-over par 74 during the final round of the Las Vegas Collegiate Showdown to claim a share of eighth place with a three-day score of 219 Wednesday afternoon. The three-day, 54-hole event was being held at the par-72, 6,329-yard Boulder Creek Golf Club.
During the tough windy conditions in the final round, the Jamesville, N.C. native capped off her career-best finish posting a 37 (1-over par) on both the front and back nine, finishing 3-over par for the tournament. Her previous best finish and score (t-10th/221) came at the 2010 Lady Pirate Intercollegiate. Hardison, who led the entire 89-man field in par 5 scoring at 5-under par (4.58 stroke average), was solid in all three of her rounds posting scores of 73, 72 and 74.
"I was extremely proud of the way Faith played this week," said Head Coach Kevin Williams. "She has worked extremely hard and it was nice to see it finally payoff. She was under control and steady during each round and you could see her confidence grow with each shot."
The Pirates (47-11) finished in ninth place for the second-straight year at the Collegiate Showdown, posting a 35-over par 899 (296-298-305) - 15 strokes out of third place.
"The conditions were very tough today," said Williams. "We struggled Monday afternoon on the back nine when the conditions were perfect for us and as each day went on, we just couldn't get into a rhythm. This was a tough field with 13 of the 16 teams ranked in the Top 80. Now we just need to get back to work and try to close out the fall season with a good showing in Austin, Texas in two weeks."
UC Davis (869) cruised to the team title finishing 15 strokes ahead of San Diego State and Pepperdine, who shared second place with a 20-over 884. Eighteenth-ranked Oklahoma (890) was fourth while three teams (UC Irvine, Louisville and UNLV), tied for fifth at 891.
Pepperdine's Grace Na led all three rounds taking home medalist honors with a 7-under 209 finishing two strokes ahead of Idaho's Kayla Mortellaro (211). UC Davis' Jessica Chulya (212) and Bev Vatananugulkit (214) took third and fourth, while Long Beach State's Noelle Zavaleta (215) rounded out the top five.
ECU's Fanny Wolte (225) finished tied for 26th after a final round score of 2-over 74 (40-34), which included an eagle on the par 5, 540-yard 16th hole. Amy Otteson dropped five spots at the conclusion of the third round finishing tied for 36th with an 11-over 227.
Rounding out the Pirates squad were true freshman Katie Kirk (228) and senior Julia Strandberg (245) who finished tied for 43rd and tied for 84th.
ECU will be back in action Nov. 7-8 when they travel to Austin, Texas to participate in the Onion Creek Challenge, their final event of the 2011 fall season.
