Duke Claims Fifth NGCA Match Play Championship

Tuesday, November 4

Kissimmee, Fla.

All Day

Duke University

Day Three

Duke Claims Fifth NGCA Match Play Championship

11/4/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf

By: Duke Sports Information

KISSIMMEE, Fla. ? The Duke women's golf team claimed its fifth National Golf Coaches Association (NGCA) Collegiate Match Play Championship on Tuesday with a 4-1-0 victory over third-seeded Alabama at the Independence Course at the Ginn Reunion Resort in Kissimmee, Fla.

Duke has now made five appearances in the NGCA Match Play and notched five titles -- 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2008. The only year the Blue Devils did not win the championship was in 2005 when Duke did not participate.

“It was so much fun,” said Duke Assistant Coach Jan Dowling. “Just our last match, although we won 4-1, it was so close the entire way. We had four holes to go and it could have gone any way. Our girls came up big time. We pulled it together as a team -- it was just a huge team effort.”

The Blue Devils had an early morning wake-up call as Kim Donovan had yet to complete her match against Michigan State's Michelle Bowles due to darkness on Monday evening. Donovan and Bowles teed off at 7:30 a.m., with the match all-square through 16 holes. The two teams were even at 2-2 with Donovan's match to determine the outcome.

“She just knew what she had to do, she was very calm, confident and patient,” said Dowling. “Kim played great. I think she was two under for 17 holes, so that is just phenomenal. She took it like a true champion and just went up there and got the job done.”

A product of Hopkinton, Mass., Donovan won the 17th hole with a par and both golfers made a par on No. 18 to give the Blue Devils a 3-2 victory over the Spartans.

“I was actually wanting to play at least one more hole last night, because I really had momentum going,” said Donovan. “I had won three holes in a row, so I was like, ?Oh, let's keep pressing on, let's go, so I can maybe get another one in before it got dark.' And that didn't happen, which was fine. I just knew that I had to be patient, because she (Bowles) was four-under par yesterday up until the last three holes we played. I was two under and two down at one point so she was just playing really unbelievably.”

Duke's next opponent was third-seeded Alabama in the championship -- immediately following the completion of the second round contest.

Once again Alison Whitaker jumped out to an early lead over her opponent to set the tone for the Blue Devils. Whitaker, who is from Melbourne, Australia, won the third through eighth holes to go 6up through eight holes against Laura Goodwin. The Duke junior closed the match after winning the 10th and 11th holes; winning 8 and 7.

“I think that it's just good to keep everything in perspective with match play,” said Whitaker. “You know, one hole is really only one up or one down. So I think it's easier just to kind of keep you focused on just beating the girl you're playing and doing what you need to do to get across the line.”

Over her three-year career at Duke, Whitaker has notched an amazing 11-0 record in the NGCA Match Play. She lost only two holes in the three matches she played in this year.
“It's awesome, to be honest with you,” commented Whitaker on the team victory. “It's probably easily one of the top three most rewarding wins since I've been here at Duke. Everyone just really dug deep this week, and it's taken a lot of heart to get where we have -- keeping patient, keeping up the belief in yourself and your belief that the rest of the team has your back while you're out there.”

Alabama evened the score a 1-1 after Brooke Pancake defeated Yu Young Lee, 6 and 4, in the fourth slot.

Duke was able to close out the other three matches to win 4-1 over Alabama. Freshman Mina Harigae knocked off Courtney Harter, 3 and 2, Donovan downed Camilla Lennarth, 2 and 1, and senior Amanda Blumenherst won 2up over Kathleen Ekey.

Harigae, who is from Monterey, Calif., never trailed as she won the second hole and led by as many as 4up through 14 holes. Donovan won the first hole but lost the next two to go 1down through three. She trailed for the first seven holes before winning No. 8, No. 9 and No. 10 to take a 2up lead. The match returned to all-square through the 14th hole but Donovan won the 15th and hung on for the victory.

“It's great (to get the team win), because in the past we've won a lot of tournaments in the fall and spring,” said Donovan. “This year it's been a little bit of a different path that we took and winning this tournament at the end of the fall, it's like a crescendo, I guess. It's really great. I think we all really appreciate it and we've all worked hard to get here. So it's a really sweet win.”

Blumenherst, who is from Scottsdale, Ariz., controlled her match for the first 11 holes as she led by as many as 2up, but Ekay won No. 12 to get the match back to all-square. The match stayed even until the 17th where Blumenherst won the hole to take a 1up lead and she won No. 18 to close the match winning 2up.

In the three matches at the 2008 match play, Blumenherst produced a 2-0-1 record to improve her overall NGCA Match Play record to 7-0-3 in three years.

Blue Devil senior Jennie Lee was not participating as she will be playing in the FUTURES Tour Qualifying School beginning on Tuesday.

“The team worked hard all fall and we just weren't quite getting it together in our first three tournaments,” said Dowling. “We really came together as a team at this tournament. We played three good matches and they were so impressive to watch.”

Duke will be off until Feb. 16-17 as the Blue Devils will play in the Central District Invitational in Parrish, Fla.

-d-u-k-e-

(5) Duke def. (3) Alabama, 4-1
Kathleen Ekey, Bama lost Amanda Blumenherst, Duke, 2 Down
Camilla Lennarth, Bama lost to Kim Donovan, Duke, 2&1
Courtney Harter, Bama lost to Mina Harigae, Duke, 3&2
Brooke Pancake, Bama def. Yu Young Lee, Duke, 6&4
Laura Goodwin, Bama lost to Alison Whitaker, Duke, 8&7

(7) Denver def. (8) Michigan State, 3-1-1
Stephanie Sherlock, DU def. Aimee Neff, MSU, 3&2
Dawn Shockley, DU def. Michelle Bowles, MSU, 6&4
Katie Kempter, DU and Laura Kueny, MSU, Halved
Sarah Faller, DU lost to Lindsey Solberg, MSU, 5&4
Sarah Djos, DU def. Shannon Warner, MSU, 5&4

(1) UCLA def. (6) Auburn, 4-1
Stephanie Kono, UCLA lost to Candace Schepperle, Auburn, 3&2
Maria Jose Uribe, UCLA def. Cydney Clanton, Auburn, 1 Up
Tiffany Joh, UCLA def. Patricia Sanz, Auburn, 3&1
Sydnee Michaels, UCLA def. Mariana Macias, Auburn, 5&3
Brianna Do, UCLA def. Madison Overbey, Auburn, 4&2

(2) Virginia def. (4), USC, 4-1
Calle Nielson, UVA def. Jennifer Song, USC, 2 Up
Whitney Neuhauser, UVA lost to Lizette Salas, USC, 2 Down
Joy Kim, UVA def. Caroline Kim, USC, 3&2
Kristen Simpson, UVA def. In Ah Park, USC, 1 Up
Eleana Collins, UVA def.Shelcie Takenouchi, USC, 2 Up

(9) Kent State def. (15) Vanderbilt, 4-1
Mercedes Germino, Kent lost to Marina Alex, Vandy, 4&2
Martina Gavier, Kent def. Brooke Goodwin, Vandy, 1 Up
Kirby Dreher, Kent, def. Megan Grehan, Vandy, 2&1
Mandi Morrow, Kent def. Andrea Messer, Vandy, 2&1
Shamira Marshall, Kent def. Jacqui Concolino, Vandy, 6&4

(13) Arizona def. (11) Texas A&M, 4-1
Sarah Zwartynski, A&M def. Amanda Wilson, Arizona, 4&2
Lauren Johnson, A&M lost to Brittany Benvenuto, Arizona, 2&1
Alexa Porter, A&M lost to Margarita Ramos, Arizona, 2 Up
Ashley Freeman, A&M lost to Alejandra Llaneza, Arizona, 2 Up
Crystal Reeves, A&M lost to Isabelle Boineau, Arizona, 4&3

(12) Tennessee def. (10) Georgia, 3-1-1
Carolina Andrade, UGA lost to Lauren Spurlock, Tenn, 2&1
Marta Silva, UGA def. Nathalie Mansson, Tenn, 2&1
Tess Fordham, UGA and Diane Cantu, Tenn, Halved
Rebecca Watson, Tenn Wins by Forfeit
Leigh Crosby, UGA lost to Ginny Brown, Tenn, 4&2

(16) Tulsa def. (14) Florida, 3-1-1
Nicole Schachner, UF lost to Abby Allford, Tulsa, 6&4
Brittany Nelson, UF lost to Marita Engzelius, Tulsa, 3&2
Evan Jensen, UF def. Shu Yin Liu, Tulsa, 1 Up
Andrea Watts, UF and Woori Shin, Tulsa, Halved
Lauren Uzelatz, UF lost to Kamryn Ruffin, Tulsa, 4&3