Wolverines, Luo Tally Runner-up Finishes in Fall Finale

Tuesday, November 8

Austin, Texas

8:00 AM CT

Michigan

Challenge at Onion Creek

Wolverines, Luo Tally Runner-up Finishes in Fall Finale

11/8/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf

Nov. 8, 2011

Site: Austin, Texas
Course: Onion Creek Golf Club (par 70, 5,808 yards)
Tournament: Challenge at Onion Creek
U-M Standing: Tie-2nd Place of 13 Teams (295-290-293/878)
Top U-M Individual: Linda Luo, tie-2nd (69-70-74/213)
Next Event: Saturday, Jan. 28 -- Alumni Match (Naples, Fla.)

AUSTIN, Texas -- With three Wolverines in the top 10 individually -- including freshman Linda Luo's (Bradenton, Fla./Lakewood Ranch HS) tie for medalist runner-up -- the University of Michigan women's golf team closed its fall season Tuesday (Nov. 8), tying for second with a season-best 878 total at the 2011 Challenge at Onion Creek held at the Onion Creek Golf Club. U-M's total is the third-best 54-hole tournament tally in school history.

On Monday (Nov. 7), Luo's career-best one-under 69 in the opening round paced the Wolverines to a 295 as U-M sat third after the first 18 holes. Following up with an even-par 70 from Luo, who ended the day tied atop the leaderboard, and a career-best one-over 71 from freshman Lauren Grogan (Columbus, Ohio/Bishop Watterson HS), U-M dropped five shots on the day's second 18 with a 290 to stay in third after the first day of play at 585.

Closing rounds of 72 from sophomore Yugene Lee (Athens, Ga./Oconee County HS), 73 from Grogan and 74s from Luo and senior Meagan Bauer (Grand Blanc, Mich./Grand Blanc HS), the Wolverines posted a 293 today to move up a position.

With her hot start, Luo remained in medalist contention the entire tournament only to see Texas Tech's Gabriella Dominguez drain a 30-foot putt on the final hole to take medalist honors. Luo's career-best 213 (69-70-74) equals the top output for a Wolverine this season in a 54-hole event.

Grogan had a career-best finish, tying for 10th with a career-best 221 (77-71-73), while Lee turned in her second top-10 finish of the fall, tying for 10th at 221 (74-75-72). Bauer ended her fall tying for 27th at 226 (78-74-74), while sophomore Alyssa Shimel (Pemberville, Ohio/Eastwood HS) tied for 36th at 228 (75-75-78).

Michigan has completed its fall season and will not see tournament action until after the New Year. The Wolverines will break up the winter break with an alumni match on Saturday, Jan. 28, in Naples, Fla., before starting the spring season with a trip to Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, Feb. 12-14, for Purdue's annual Lady Puerto Rico Classic. The 54-hole event will be played at the Rio Mar Beach Resort.

Final Team Standings

 1. Texas Tech              288-291-295 = 874 2. MICHIGAN                295-290-293 = 878    Texas-San Antonio       292-290-296 = 878 4. Arkansas-Little Rock    299-298-288 = 885 5. Texas State             291-297-298 = 886 6. East Carolina           306-296-292 = 894 7. Xavier                  301-301-297 = 899 8. College of Charleston   310-294-303 = 907 9. Indiana                 305-300-308 = 91310. Montana                 300-309-305 = 91411. Washington State        303-309-304 = 91612. McNeese State           323-313-334 = 970-   Augusta State           297-293-DNF

Top Individuals

 1. Gabriella Dominguez, Texas Tech   70-69-73 = 212 2. LINDA LUO, U-M                    69-70-74 = 213    Fabiola Arriaga, UTSA             69-72-72 = 213    Michelle Piyapattram, Columbia    71-74-68 = 213* 5. Krista Puisite, Texas State       74-69-74 = 217    Megan Vaughn, Ark.-Little Rock    72-75-70 = 217 7. Deborah DeVilla, Texas Tech       69-73-76 = 218 8. Mallory Kent, Washington State    70-77-72 = 219 9. Casey Kennedy, Augusta State      74-75-71 = 22010. LAUREN GROGAN, U-M                77-71-73 = 221    YUGENE LEE, U-M                   74-75-72 = 221    Lejan Lewthwaite, Texas State     71-73-77 = 221    Taylor Newlin, UTSA               73-73-75 = 221

Other Michigan Individuals

T27. Meagan Bauer    78-74-74 = 226T36. Alyssa Shimel   75-75-78 = 228

N O T E S

• Michigan closes the fall season four top-five finishes in five events. The list includes tying as the team runner-up at the Challenge at Onion Creek, finishing third at the Mary Fossum Invitational (Sept. 17-18) and Lady Northern Invitational (Oct. 9-10) as well as posting a fourth-place showing at the Bettie Lou Evans Invitational (Sept. 30-Oct. 2).

• Michigan posted three Wolverines among the top 10 individually for the first time season -- Linda Luo (t-2nd) and Lauren Grogan and Yugene Lee (both tying for 10th). The last time U-M had three players in the top 10 was at the 2010 Rio Verde Collegiate -- Ashley Bauer (1st), Andrea Ratigan (t-3rd) and Min Yean Tan (t-7th).

• Michigan's 878 54-hole total was a season best by 15 strokes as well as the third-best tournament total in U-M history. Prior to the Challenge at Onion Creek, U-M had posted an 893 at the Lady Northern Invitational.

• Linda Luo had a career-best tournament, setting career marks for single round (69, -1), 54-hole tournament tally (213), and finish (tie for 2nd). With her first-round one-under 69, she became the 12th Wolverine ever to record a single tournament round below 70.

• Linda Luo's 213 at the Challenge at Onion Creek equaled the season-best tally for a 54-hole event. Meagan Bauer tallied a 213 in her win at the Lady Northern Invitational. Both tallies were the third-best 54-hole event total in U-M history.

• Lauren Grogan had a career-best tournament, setting career marks for single round (71), 54-hole tournament tally (221), and finish (t-10th).

Q U O T E S

Michigan Head Coach Cheryl Stacy
On starting the season with four top-five finishes out of five events ... "I guess I didn't think of it that way, but I felt that each year we were going to get better. I think the team feels that too. They're getting that confidence. They're getting so close to winning. It's a good feeling."

On whether she views the end of the fall season as untimely considering how the team has played ... "No, we're good with it. We're ready to have a break and then get back at it. I think it's just going be that much better this winter. I know there are a couple of the girls that really need to work on a 100 yards and in, a lot of pitching. And for that, the indoor facility is perfect. The team's young so a lot of the freshmen aren't use to playing this late in the year. So I think it's all good."

On the contributions of the freshmen, specifically Linda Luo and Lauren Grogan in this event ... "Colleen (Cashman-McSween) and I walked with both freshmen and tried to focus on those two, just as far as helping them with the nerves. The golf course is just set up perfectly for Linda, so I could tell during the practice round that she was going to play well. Lauren just continued to get better each day. She is really improving. I'm excited for them; it's just a confidence booster. And, you know, college golf is so much different than junior golf. So it's an adjustment, you have your ups and downs. We're pretty excited."

U-M Freshman Linda Luo
On playing the course to her strengths ... "This course, compared to the other ones, is pretty short. The fairways are pretty wide, so if you hit down the middle you'll get a good second approach shot. For me, my short game's a little better, so I was able to hit it close."

On being in contention to win the event up until the final hole ... "It was pretty exciting. I hit the ball pretty close, but the other girl just made that putt. She made like a 30-foot putt, and I just didn't make mine."

On the energy and enthusiasm she brings to the team ... "We're not playing as individuals anymore; we're playing more for the team. We're more together, and coaches are putting more effort into our game. Both coaches walked with us. They didn't even take carts, which we thought was really supportive."

On what she looks forward to most come spring ... "Just playing my game. It's going to get better and better. There's still stress, school stress going on right now. But I will handle it."

Contact: Tom Wywrot (734) 763-4423