East Carolina University
Day 2
ECU Takes Second At 2015 Minnesota Invitational
September 15, 2015 | Women's Golf
2015 Minnesota Invitational
Course: The Minikahda Club - Minneapolis, Minn. (Par-72, 6,119 yards)
Team Result: East Carolina finishes 2nd out of 12 teams (22-over, 886)
Top Finisher: Frida Gustafsson Spang (2-under, 214) - 2nd Place
Up Next: Lady Pirate Intercollegiate/Brook Valley CC (Sept. 28-29) In Greenville, N.C.
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - East Carolina opened the 2015-16 season claiming a second place finish at the Minnesota Invitational Tuesday afternoon with a tournament score of 886 (22-over). The two-day, 54-hole event was being held at the par-72, 6,110-yard Minikahda Club.
The Pirates (10-1) carded a final round 296 (8-over) picking up wins over nine schools that placed in the Top 50 a year ago according to GolfStat. Purdue, a GolfStat preseason Top 20 team, claimed team honors with a 20-over par 884 - two strokes ahead of ECU. Illinois (887) finished third followed by Kent State (895) and host Minnesota (885), both claiming a share of fourth to round out the Top 5.
"It was a great start to the fall season for us," said ECU Head Coach Kevin Williams. "We were competitive against a strong field that had nine teams ranked in the Top 50 a year ago. I was proud of the way both Frida and Lisa played, as well as Catherine in her first collegiate tournament."
A year after taking home medalist honors, senior Frida Gustafsson Spang posted a 2-under 214 finishing second behind Minnesota's Celia Kuenster (3-under/213). Spang, who recorded her sixth career Top 5 finish, posted an eagle on the par-5, 476-yard 14th hole during second round action to go along with eight birdies and 37 pars in 54 holes of play. During the two-day event, she led the field in par-5 scoring (4.58), while ranking in the Top 10 in par-3 scoring (t3rd/3.00), total pars (t2nd) and par-4 scoring (t8th/4.10).
Sophomore Lisa Pettersson posted her first career Top 5 (tied fifth) carding a career-low 219 (3-over). The Taby, Sweden native posted rounds of 76, 70 (tied career-low) and 73 standing among the tournament leaders in par-5 scoring (t4th/4.67), par-4 scoring (t5th/4.07), birdies (t6th/ninth) and total pars (t9th/35).
Senior Nicoline Engstroem Skaug claimed a share of 20th after a 54-hole score of 226 posting her 15th career Top 20 placement. The Oslo, Norway native recorded rounds of 77, 74 and 75 to finish 10-over par.
Playing in her first collegiate tournament, true freshman Catherine Ashworth finished tied for 27th with a score of 227 (11-over), carding rounds of 76, 76 and 75. Rounding out ECU's roster was senior Lane Gakeler, who finished 62nd with a score of 247 (31-over).
Kate Law, another true freshman, participated in her first collegiate event as an individual finishing 60th with a score of 243 (27-over).
The Pirates will be back in action Sept. 28-29 when they host the Lady Pirate Intercollegiate, which will be held at the Brook Valley Country Club.
Players Mentioned
