Kiser looks to pace talented, veteran women's golf squad

The women's golf team will kick off its 2004 campaign with not only a great deal of confidence, but also the weight of lofty expectations on its shoulders. Coming back as the crowned Ivy League champion, the program is returning all its strong contributors from last fall, including three-time individual Ivy champion, senior Avery Kiser.

Kiser, who placed 54th in the 2003 NCAA Central Regional championships and led the team to a 19th-place finish in that tournament, will be leading a strong and diverse group of players.

Seniors Meg Nakamura and Taryn Haladay and sophomores Sharla Cloutier and Alexis Etow all finished in the top 10 at last year's Ivy League Championship tournament. Kiser, Haladay, Cloutier and Etow also earned All-Ivy honors as all four finished in the top seven.

In addition to the veteran talent, the program also had a successful recruiting year, adding two freshmen who should provide a sturdy base to an already deep and capable team.

"We have the depth to go really low and be really competitive at all of our tournaments," Kiser said. "This year's team has the perfect combination of veteran knowledge and fresh new talent."

The Tigers will get a chance to test the depth of their team this weekend as they head to the Mary Fossum Invitational in Michigan for their first tournament of the season.

In order to kick the season off with a bang, head coach Eric Stein will be emphasizing low scores and consistency, two elements that Princeton struggled with last year. Staying focused and calm under pressure will also be important factors. But with a talented veteran crew, these goals shouldn't be hard to accomplish.

After an impressive performance at the team qualifier this weekend, the Tigers are confident about the upcoming season and their chances for defending the Ancient Eight crown.

The main obstacle in this quest will undoubtedly be Princeton's traditional rival, Yale. The Elis, who had held the Ivy title for three consecutive years before the Tigers snatched it back last spring, were second to Princeton at the league championships.

Although the Tigers claimed victory, they actually trailed Yale for much of the first day of competition and only pulled ahead by three strokes at the end of the day. The second day they slightly advanced their lead and claimed a narrow, 13-stroke victory, but the competition was close. Harvard came in third, 52 strokes behind Yale, clearly casting Princeton and Yale as the dominant teams in the tournament. This was further supported by the fact that all of the top-seven finishers and All-Ivy selections from the tournament were either Tigers or Elis.

The two teams will get an opportunity to meet in late September when the Tigers host the Princeton Invitational. Princeton will be looking to revisit its prior success, but the Elis will be itching to reestablish their dominance. The two squads spent much of last season exchanging victories, and this season promises to be just as exciting and competitive.

"We are really looking forward to playing well," Kiser said. "We have an incredible schedule and an incredible team to get the job done."

Get the best of the ‘Prince’ delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe now »

Getting the job done is certainly within the program's grasps, as long as no one falters — the leaders must stay focused and consistent while the novices step up to the plate and concentrate on learning and delivering. In a sport where individual performance is so crucial to the team's success, this squad is certainly up to the challenge.

"After our team qualifier this weekend, I am confident that this year's team is the best it has been in my four years at Princeton," Kiser said.

It's an optimistic outlook and the road ahead is long, but the Tigers are fully equipped with all the tools they need to have their best season in years.