No. 2 Saint Mary's will meet top-15 competition in the warmth of Texas today, when the Belles compete against host No. 12 Southwestern University in the Southwestern Invitational at Berry Creek Country Club in Georgetown, Texas.
Last year, Saint Mary's finished second out of nine teams in the Southwestern Invitational, outpaced only by the host Pirates. Junior Mary Kate Boyce finished second overall among individuals, carding the low round of the tournament with a 77 on the second day, while sophomore Natalie Matuszak had the low score of the opening day with a 79. Three other Belles golfers finished in the top half of the field to round out a strong performance from Saint Mary's. Boyce and Matuszak's scores will be key to the team's score during this tournament, while junior Rosie O'Connor, sophomore Christine Brown and senior captain Perri Hamma will round out the team's top five scorers in an attempt to continue the team's success so far this season.
"I see a great chance to add to our nation leading total of six tournament wins," Belles coach Mark Hamilton said. "We expect to play to our potential for this tournament."
Southwestern University is led by seniors Kristen Davenport and Cody Wallace. The Pirates are bolstered by two freshmen in Erin Perry and Kelsey Coburn, all of whom have carded impressive rounds consistently this year. The Belles will also be contending with perennial power Mary Hardin-Baylor in their efforts to pick up a victory.
"Southwestern and Mary Hardin-Baylor have a strong tradition of winning and we look forward to competing against them in their backyard," Hamilton said.
The central Texas climate may provide winds gusting near 20 miles an hour, posing a potential problem for the golfers on a course noted for its narrow fairways. The Belles will have to contend with a large number of trees if they do miss the fairways. Although, if they can land on the greens without trouble, low scores are possible, as the greens are not particularly tough, Hamilton said.
The MIAA fall champion Belles look to succeed in the sun this Monday and Tuesday in Georgetown, Texas.
