Wednesday, April 14, 2010

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. - Stetson rallied from 12 strokes back to claim the Atlantic Sun Women's Golf Championship at Venetian Bay Golf Club in New Smyrna Beach, Fla.

The Hatters shot the lowest team score in championship history to earn the Atlantic Sun Conference title, the team’s second straight trophy. Stetson torched the course by shooting a combined 2-under 286 as a team on the final day to overtake second-round leader ETSU and pass Kennesaw State, Campbell and FGCU along the way.

Read the Atlantic Sun Insider Column associated with the final round here.

ETSU's Lauren Jansone led wire-to-wire on her way to shooting a 3-under par total of 213, the second-best 54-hole score in conference history. The senior finishes her career as a two-time medalist, adding the 2010 title to her 2008 crown. She becomes only the fifth player in conference history to win the conference title multiple times, joining FIU’s Moira Dunn (1991-93), Campbell’s Mara Larrauri (1997-98), Georgia State’s Lisbeth Meincke (2003-05) and Campbell’s Alejandra Shaw (2006-07).

Three Hatters shot par or better on the final day to spark the rally. Lauren Darnell carded the lowest score of the final round, and tied the A-Sun’s third-round scoring record by firing a 3-under par 69 while freshman sensation Alexandria Buelow went 1-under par today and for the tournament to finish second on the individual leaderboard, Her three-round total of 1-under, 215 included even-par rounds on both Monday and Tuesday making her the first player in Championship history to post all three rounds at par or better. Anna Hancock turned in an even-par round to help push Stetson to the title.

The day kept the scoreboard operator busy as four different teams held the lead at one time or another with Kennesaw State and Campbell jockeying with Stetson and ETSU for position. One of the day’s most dramatic moments came when Patricia Arana aced the 152-yard 12th hole to briefly vault KSU into the lead. Her hole-in-one represented the fourth in the last four years and the first since Belmont’s Lorie Warren during first-round play at the 2008 A-Sun Championships.

However, Stetson teed off among the first groups out today and posted their score early in the round to put pressure on the leaders. As the wind picked up, the scores escalated and the Hatters finished as the team standing on top.

The Owls’ score of 888 was good for runner-up, their best showing at the A-Sun Championship behind a fourth-place finish from Ket Premchuen. The Camels and Lady Bucs ended up tied for third, five strokes behind the winner with Mary Mattson pacing Campbell in fifth place. Briana Carlson fired a two-over par 218 to place third overall and lead first-round leader FGCU to a fifth place finish.

The Hatters will learn their NCAA Regional destination on Monday, April 26. Last year, in their first appearance, the Hatters finished 19th at the East Regional in Gainesville, Fla. with then-freshman Lauren Cate leading the way as she tied for 23rd.

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The Atlantic Sun Conference is an 11-member league committed to Building Winners for Life. The A-Sun stands for achievement with integrity in both the academic and athletic arenas, with a focus on the balance between the two for our student-athletes. Headquartered in Macon, Ga., the A-Sun boasts six of the top eight media markets in the Southeast. The A-Sun includes a blend of the most prestigious and dynamic private and public institutions in the region: Belmont University, Campbell University, East Tennessee State University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Jacksonville University, Kennesaw State University, Lipscomb University, Mercer University, University of North Florida, University of South Carolina Upstate and Stetson University