Princeton falls to Missouri at Invite

If it's true that a team is only as good as its weakest link, then the women's golf team is well on its way to greatness.

Taking second out of a field of 10 teams during the Johnie Imes Invitational at the University of Missouri, the Tigers managed to topple several highly ranked competitors. Junior Susannah Aboff was Princeton's top finisher in second place, eight strokes off the leader.

Though Missouri won the event by 30 strokes over the Tigers during three 18-hole rounds, Princeton managed to pull ahead of its nearest competitor, Indiana University, to secure second. Coming off a two-tournament winning streak, however, the Tigers had hoped to capture another title.

"We went in expecting to get first because we've all been playing so well," Aboff said. "But Missouri is ranked higher and is just a really good team. Their top finisher shot 66 on the last day, which is very, very low. Beating Indiana was definitely a huge success, though, since they were ranked higher than us, and we knew coming in that they were a pretty good team."

Coach Amy Bond echoed Aboff's attitude toward Princeton's finish.

"We didn't play our best possible, but we came really close," Bond said. "Our weak spots are getting better and better. Missouri had a definite advantage in that they were familiar with the golf course. However, any time you can finish in the top two or three in a tournament against quality teams is considered a victory."

The Tigers fought the Hoosiers for second place throughout the two-day tournament. With just two holes left to play, Princeton finally managed to break away from Indiana. Freshman Kate Scarpetta's third-round score of 72 helped the Tigers take the lead. Kate tied for 11th place overall at 17 over-par.

"Kate played really well during the last round," Aboff said. "I personally didn't finish well. My final round wasn't as good as I had hoped. I just wasn't hitting the ball well, so it was really good that Kate stepped up right when I wasn't playing so great."

Aboff definitely started off well, leading the tournament during the first two rounds on Monday, scoring at-par 72 and one-under 71. Unfortunately for Aboff, she lost her five-shot lead over Missouri's Julia Potter in the third round. Potter's 66 instantly placed her in front of Aboff, who finished with 79.

Another team leader during the tournament was junior Marlowe Boukis. Though Boukis struggled during the second round, shooting a 10-over score of 82, she managed a turnaround during her final holes. Boukis finished with a two under 74 and managed to come in 10th place, nine strokes behind Aboff.

"One of the best moments of the tournament was Marlowe shooting 33 in the final nine holes," Aboff said. "She shot 41-33 playing against a girl playing 56. Sometimes it's hard to keep your own concentration when the person next to you is playing really well. Marlowe definitely kept her composure and closed."

Though the Tigers consider their third tournament of the season a success, improving their course management is a definite goal.

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

"We need to be able to recover from spots in trouble and get ourselves back on the course," Bond said. "Thinking our way around the golf course in general. Evaluate what you've got going on, evaluate where you want to hit it and where you want to make birdie."

Also competing for Princeton's five-woman team was sophomore Michelle Grilli, who placed 14th, and senior Annika Welander, who finished tied for 30th.

The Tigers finish up their four-tournament fall schedule with the Edwin Watts/Palmetto Intercollegiate at Kiawah Island, S.C., Oct. 29-30.