Wake Forest Women's Golf Team (East Lake Cup Photo)
The Wake Forest women’s golf team and North Carolina men’s golf team claimed the ninth annual East Lake Cup title Wednesday afternoon at Atlanta Athletic Club to close their fall seasons. The No. 2-seeded Demon Deacons, the reigning women’s national champions, edged out No. 1 Stanford 3-2, while second-seeded North Carolina toppled No. 1 Florida State 3-1-1.
The women’s championship match was a back-and-forth affair which came down to the final hole of the week. In the lone match still in action, Wake Forest junior Carolina Lopez-Chacarra carded a par on No. 18 to clinch a 1-up victory over Stanford sophomore Megha Ganne and win the East Lake Cup.
Wake Forest picked up its first point when freshman Macy Pate claimed a 1-up win over Stanford junior Caroline Sturdza. The Cardinal bounced right back with a point from freshman Paula Martín Sampredro over Wake Forest senior Mimi Rhodes, 1-up.
In the anchor match, Demon Deacon graduate student Rachel Kuehn took home a 5&4 win over Stanford senior and Monday’s medalist Sadie Englemann. The lone Wednesday match to go to a playoff was won in 21 holes by Stanford sophomore Kelly Xu over sophomore Anne-Steere den Dunnen of Wake Forest, which tied the match 2-2 and set the stage for Lopez-Chacarra’s clinching point.
“It's always wonderful to be victorious,” Wake Forest head coach Kim Lewellen said. “You know, we played against just two really tough competitors, USC and then Stanford, and then to compete with them, to make the matches come down to the last holes… you can't simulate that. So it's just wonderful, wonderful practice for them. Again, you can't simulate it for postseason play.”
In the women’s consolation match, Southern California controlled three of the five pairings to prevail over Texas A&M, 3-2-0. Aggie graduate student Jennie Park gave A&M an early lead with a dominant 9&8 win against USC junior Xin (Cindy) Kou.
The Trojans bounced back with a point from junior Amari Avery, 4&3 over Texas A&M senior Zoe Slaughter. Southern Cal senior Brianna Navarrosa added a second point, topping Aggie sophomore Mia Nixon, 3&2. Grad student Blanca Fernández García-Poggio defeated USC freshman Bailey Shoemaker in 1-up fashion to post a second point for A&M.
The anchor match was won by Southern California sophomore Catherine Park 4&3 over junior Lana Calibuso-Kwee to notch the team victory for the Lady Trojans.
“It's amazing to be in this tournament; you're one of the elite programs if you do,” said Southern California head coach Justin Silverstein. “We're fortunate it's our fourth time.
“Very pleased with our team. I think we've got a lot of good stuff going, good stuff out of this event. Getting match play experience against elite teams is hard to get in the regular season, so that's why events like this are important.”
Recap Courtesy of East Lake CupView results for Women's East Lake Cup
ABOUT THE Women's East Lake Cup
Started in 2015 and hosted by the historic
East
Lake Golf Club Atlanta, this collegiate, two-day
match
play competition features the top-performing
teams
from the previous year's NCAA Women's
Golf Championships.
View Complete Tournament Information