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Blue Devils Advance To Finals At Match Play
11/5/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
KISSIMMEE, FLA.? The Duke Women's Golf Team has played in the National Golf Coaches Association (NGCA) Collegiate Match Play Championship four times and the Blue Devils have advanced to the finals in each of the four appearances as Duke downed ninth-seeded Oklahoma State, 3-1-1, and fifth-seeded Tennessee, 4-1, on Monday at the Ginn Resort in Kissimmee, Fla.
“It has been really tough competition,” said Duke Head Coach Dan Brooks. “The people we have played against have played some good golf. The matches have been hard work. I have been very happy with particularly the patience the Duke players have demonstrated. We have had several matches we have gotten behind but in the end we have ended up winning the match.”
Top-seeded Duke finished off its comeback against Oklahoma State on Monday morning after play was called on Sunday evening due to darkness. The Blue Devils received wins from Alison Whitaker, Jennifer Pandolfi and Jennie Lee, while Amanda Blumenherst halved her match and Kim Donovan fell, 3 & 2 to Tamsin Clelland.
“I wasn't worried,” said Brooks regarding the match being called when the Blue Devils were making their comeback against Oklahoma State. “It is something you might worry about just because we had the momentum and the match is stopped. It seemed like we had even more momentum when we teed off the next morning.”
In the semifinal match against the Lady Vols, both Rebecca Kim and Amanda Blumenherst each took early leads, while Lee and Pandolfi were down to start their matches. Blumenherst, who is from Scottsdale, Ariz., closed out her match quickly against Rachel Ingram, 7 & 6, after 12 holes. Pandolfi was 1-down through seven holes but won No. 8 and No. 9 to take a 1-up advantage versus Nicole Smith. A product of Navarre, Fla., Pandolfi won the 11th, 14th and 15th holes to close out the match with a 4 & 2 win to give Duke a 2-0 lead.
A native of Melbourne, Australia, Whitaker's match against Ginny Brown lasted 17 holes as she won 2 & 1. Kim also registered a win over Rebecca Watson in 20 holes, while Diana Cantu knocked off Duke's Lee, 1-up.
Duke has claimed the NGCA Match Play title in all three of its appearances in the event. The Blue Devils will next face sixth-seeded Georgia on Tuesday in the championship match.
“Georgia has some good players and we will have to continue to what we have been doing,” said Brooks. We just have to stay patient and let the match unfold. We are looking forward to it.”
(1) Duke University def. (5) University of Tennessee, 4-1
Amanda Blumenherst, Duke def. Rachel Ingram, Tenn, 7&6
Rebecca Kim, Duke def. Rebecca Watson, Tenn, 20 holes
Diana Cantu, Tenn def. Jennie Lee, Duke, 1-up
Jennifer Pandolfi, Duke def. Nicole Smith, Tenn, 4&2
Alison Whitaker, Duke def. Ginny Brown, Tenn, 2&1
(1) Duke University def. (9) Oklahoma State University, 3-1-1
Amanda Blumenherst, Duke and Pernilla Lindberg, OSU, Match Halved
Tamsin Clelland, OSU def. Kimberly Donovan, Duke, 3&2
Jennie Lee, Duke def. Karin Kinnerud, OSU, 1-up
Jennifer Pandolfi, Duke def. Amanda Johnson, OSU, 1-up
Alison Whitaker, Duke def. Sarah Bradley, OSU, 1-up
- d - u - k - e -
Players Mentioned
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