Women win JMU tourney

Not only did several women's golf players experience individual victory this past weekend at the James Madison University Lady Dukes Invitational Golf Tournament, but they also enjoyed team success.

Princeton, which now has four tournament victories on the season, cut the two-stroke deficit it accumulated on the first day of play, Friday, to just one stroke after Saturday's 36 holes were completed. The Tigers' final-round score of 294 was more than enough to edge out host James Madison and defeat the 14 other teams competing.

Senior Avery Kiser's score of 70 on Sunday and overall score of 217 propelled Princeton to the win and tied her with Garrett Phillips from Augusta State for the individual top spot. The two players were seven strokes ahead of their nearest challengers. Senior Taryn Haladay was the next highest Tiger finisher, tying for third with a score of 224.

Though the women completed the comeback, the men's team fell just short. Princeton shot impressive second and final rounds of 284 and 292, respectively, but the Tigers' first-round score of 306 had put them in a hole they could not overcome.

Princeton, which has one tournament victory on the season, was therefore relegated to second at the 2005 Princeton Men's Golf Invitational. The team finished one stroke behind George Washington and three strokes ahead of third place in this highly contested battle.

Junior Jason Gerken was the Tigers' top finisher, recording a score of 219 to place ninth of the 90 individual players from 17 teams taking part in the tournament. Junior Jesse Dixon ended up in 16th place, eight strokes off the lead and three strokes behind his teammate.

Both the men's and women's squads will compete this weekend in the Ivy League Championships.