Michigan
Wolverine Invitational
U-M in Lead, Four in Top 11 after Day One of Wolverine Invite
9/22/2012 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich.
Course: U-M Golf Course (par 71, 6,167 yards)
Tournament: Wolverine Invitational (Day 1 of 2)
U-M Standing: 1st Place of 14 Teams (308-308/616) after Day One
Top U-M Individual: Lauren Grogan, 2nd (76-73/149)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Sept. 23 -- at Wolverine Invitational - Final Round (U-M Golf Course), 8:30 a.m. (shotgun)
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Despite periodic heavy rains and cool temperatures throughout the first day of the Wolverine Invitational, the University of Michigan women's golf team posted back-to-back 308s to tally a 616 team total today (Saturday, Sept. 22) to hold a one-shot lead over defending champion Florida International after the first 36 holes at the U-M Golf Course.
Sophomore Lauren Grogan (Columbus, Ohio/Bishop Watterson HS) shot rounds of 76 and 73 to tally a 149 first-day total and is just a single shot out of the individual lead held by Florida International's Meghan MacLaren (74-74/148). Sophomore Linda Luo (Bradenton, Fla./Lakewood Ranch HS) had back-to-back 76s and is sixth at 152, while junior captain Yugene Lee (Athens, Ga./Oconee County HS) posted rounds of 77 and 78, putting her 11th at 155.
Other Wolverine starter scores include: junior Alyssa Shimel (Pemberville, Ohio/Eastwood) tied for 21st at 160 (79-81) and freshman Catherine Peters (Clarence, N.Y./Clarence HS) tied for 35th at 164 (80-84) in her first career start.
Playing as an individual, junior Alicia Weber (Northville, Mich./Northville HS) is among the top five as she shot a 151 (75-76), just three shots back of the lead. Sophomore Devon Compton (Rochester Hills, Mich./Stoney Creek HS) rebounded from her first-round 86 with a career-best even-par 71 in the second round as she is tied for 15th at 157.
Junior Chelsea Pezzola (Bradenton, Fla./Saint Stephens Episcopal Prep), tied for 32nd at 163 (85-78), and freshman Ella Pendy (Grosse Pointe, Mich./Grosse Pointe South HS), tied for 66th at 172 (86-86) in her Wolverine debut, round of the U-M individuals.
The Wolverines will conclude the Wolverine Invitational with a final 18 holes on Sunday (Sept. 23) at the U-M Golf Course. The shotgun start is scheduled for 8:30 a.m., with U-M paired with Eastern Michigan and Florida International.
Team Standings (After Day 1)
1. MICHIGAN 308-308 = 616 2. Florida International 311-306 = 617 3. Eastern Michigan 312-311 = 623 4. Xavier 316-311 = 627 5. Illinois 314-315 = 629 6. Toledo 326-317 = 643 7. North Texas 326-322 = 648 8. Akron 330-328 = 658 9. Butler 333-328 = 661 10. Grand Valley State 335-328 = 663 11. Georgetown 335-332 = 667 12. Bucknell 340-328 = 668 13. Delaware 330-342 = 672 14. Ferris State 332-343 = 675
Top Individuals
1. Meghan MacLaren, FIU 74-74 = 148
2. LAUREN GROGAN, U-M 76-73 = 149
3. Alyssa Kwon, Eastern Michigan 75-75 = 150
4. Shelby Coyle, FIU 76-75 = 151
ALICIA WEBER, U-M 75-76 = 151*
6. LINDA LUO, U-M 76-76 = 152
7. Chaslyn Chrismer, North Texas 78-75 = 153
Sarah Johnson, Eastern Michigan 79-74 = 153
9. Breanna Patz, Xavier 74-80 = 154
Allison Schultz, Toledo 78-76 = 154
11. YUGENE LEE, U-M 77-78 = 155
Other Michigan Individuals
T21. Alyssa Shimel 79-81 = 160 T35. Catherine Peters 80-84 = 164 T15. Devon Compton 86-71 = 157* T32. Chelsea Pezzola 85-78 = 163* T66. Ella Pendy 86-86 = 172*
* playing as individual
QUOTES
Michigan Head Coach Cheryl Stacy
On being in a position to win the tournament after the first day ... "We haven't been in that position for a while, so it's exciting and it's a lot of fun to see some of our girls at the top individually. There's a little more pressure being at home, and wanting to win that tournament. But, we're looking forward to it. I think everyone's super excited. Just playing our own golf course and having family and friends here has been a lot of fun for the girls."
On the team/field persevering through the difficult conditions ... "Playing 36 holes is tough anyway, but when you have weather on top of it, mentally you're not even sure if you're going to keep playing. It's a tough grind and they did a great job."
On what U-M needs to focus on tomorrow ... "I think just staying in the moment. Hitting one shot at a time, and you can't get ahead of yourself with the holes ahead. I think that's the key to golf."
U-M Sophomore Lauren Grogan
On the mental challenge of playing in bad weather ... "Keeping everything dry was a big thing. It was more of a nuisance than anything. Rain is nothing new to us. We've played in it. We should be pretty comfortable with it. We just have to make sure we keep our concentration."
On what to focus on tomorrow to win ... "Just playing my own game, one shot at a time. Making sure I have confidence and trust every shot and just worry about what I can control, and the weather is not something I can control. I just have to focus on my own game."
On what the team must do in the final round ... "I think we just need to have confidence. We know this course because we play it so often. Everyone can put up a good score. We have a good team and everyone just needs to be confident and trust what they're doing because everyone knows how to play it."
NOTES
• Catherine Peters is making her first career start at Michigan, while Ella Pendy is playing in her collegiate debut as an individual.
• With her even-par 71 in the second round, Devon Compton set a new career-best single-round tally. She bettered her 73 in the second round of the 2011 Bettie Lou Evans Fall Invitational (Sept. 30-Oct. 2, 2011).
TOURNAMENT NOTE
• Ferris State's Libby Berens recorded a hole-in-one on the par-3 eighth hole.
Players Mentioned
