Carleton and Bethel Finish Strong at MIAC Championships

College

By Nick Hunter
nhunter@mngolf.org

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  COON RAPIDS, Minn. – The Bethel University men’s golf team carded a final-round 297 Monday to pull away from the field and win its first Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship at Bunker Hills Golf Club.

The women from Carleton College had a big day Monday as well, carding a tournament-record 299 during the final round to win its first conference championship by 21 strokes as both Carleton and Bethel earned a bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament May 12-15 at Grandover Resort in Greensboro, N.C.

Bethel held a three-stroke lead heading into the final round Monday and went on to win by six shots over Gustavus Adolphus College.

The Royals were led by Dillon John and Bennett Smed who finished tied for fourth at 9-over par 225, while Alex Case finished tied for eighth at 228.

Gustavus freshman Chris Captain earned medalist honors Monday as he began the round three shots off the lead before firing a tournament-low 2-under par 70 to claim his first collegiate victory at 1-over par 217.

“I was happy with where I had positioned myself after the first two days,” Captain said following his round Monday. “I struggled a bit late in the round [Sunday], but played well to begin the round and started off well again today.”

Captain, Rochester, Minn., quickly dipped into red numbers with a birdie on the second hole Monday before recording an eagle on the fourth to move to even par for the championship.

Captain gave away two strokes with bogeys at the sixth and eighth holes, but settled in over the final ten holes as he rolled in one birdie with nine pars to win by three strokes over St. John’s University’s Ryan Gallagher, who finished second at 4-over par 220.

“I got off the tee well—not great. My iron play was solid and I putted really well,” Captain said of his performance during the final round Monday. “I don’t think I three-putted out there today, but I made a couple of birdie putts and par putts that I had to have.”

Just over four months removed from winning the Minnesota Class AAA state title during his senior season, Captain has made the jump from high school to collegiate golf look relatively routine.

“It was great to play well today and come out with a win,” he said. “Our team played really well too. I really thought we had a chance—we just came up a little bit short.”

Along with a tournament-record 299, the Carleton women also set a 54-hole record at 935 en route to a 21-stroke victory over Bethel University at 956.

The Knights were led by individual medalist, Grace Gilmore, who fired a 1-over par 73 Monday to finish on top at 231, edging teammate Shannon Holden and Bethel’s Christine Piwnica who finished tied for second at 232.

Gilmore, Edina, Minn., played a very steady final round as she carded an even par 36 during the opening nine holes Monday with one birdie and one bogey. She would cruise over the final nine holes with eight consecutive pars before making bogey on the final hole of the championship.

“I played pretty steady—it was a lot of [greens in regulation] and a lot of two-putts,” Gilmore said of her final round Monday. I made some good saves on the front to get up and down for par.”

Carleton finished second in each of the last two seasons, missing an NCAA tournament bid by a single stroke last year.

While it’s Gilmore’s third-career victory, Monday’s win will be just a little sweeter knowing her teammates qualified for the NCAA tournament as well.

“It’s definitely more satisfying to win as a team, especially after losing by one shot last year—this was nice,” she said.

During his 14 years at Carleton, head coach Eric Sieger has been nationally ranked, sent two individuals to the NCAA tournament and earned MIAC Coach of the Year honors, but never had a team reach the national tournament—until Monday.

“For a women’s team to shoot 299 in these conditions is kind of unfathomable,” Sieger commented on the cool at breezy weather at Bunker Hills all tournament long. “We’ve had such a balanced attack this year. We know we have five kids who can go out and win a golf tournament.”

“[Gilmore] winning the tournament this year is a big deal. It’s her second win this season and third-career win. She kept hitting greens all day and hitting good putts. [Holden] played really well for us today as well. Kelsey Moede shot a 75 yesterday and really set the tone for us,” Sieger said.

While finishing back-to-back seasons in second place may beat down some teams, Sieger believed it motivated his squad to come back and perform even better this season.

“This group is very resilient, they just kept working hard. They believed so much in each other, that they started believing in themselves and that created a very positive, powerful environment to play golf. It wasn’t anything I did, but what our seniors did and when you’re a confident golfer, you’re a dangerous golfer—we showed that today.”



2014 MIAC MEN’S GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP
BUNKER HILLS GOLF CLUB
COON RAPIDS, MINN.
6,877 YARDS, PAR 72


FINAL TEAM RESULTS
1. Bethel University, 307-302-297—906
2. Gustavus Adolphus, 307-305-300—912
3. St. John’s University, 309-305-303—917
4. Univ. of St. Thomas, 304-309-308—921
5. Concordia College, 318-313-297—928
6. Augsburg College, 309-310-311—930
7. Carleton College, 316-311-307—934
8. St. Olaf College, 317-315-314—946
9. Macalester College, 332-311-317—960
10. St. Mary’s University, 345-322-340—1007


FINAL INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
1. Chris Captain, Gustavus, 71-76-70—217
2. Ryan Gallagher, SJU, 72-72-76—220
3. Coy Papachek, Concordia, 74-78-70—222
T4. Dillon John, Bethel, 76-75-74—225
T4. Bennett Smed, Bethel, 76-74-75—225
6. Alex Kapraun, St. Thomas, 72-76-78—226
7. Bennett Schroeder, St. Thomas, 74-78-75—227
T8. Ned Rohrbach, Carelton, 75-74-79—228
T8. Alex Case, Bethel, 78-75-75—228
T8. Drew Lynch, SJU, 78-76-74—228



2014 MIAC WOMEN’S GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP
BUNKER HILLS GOLF CLUB
COON RAPIDS, MINN.
5,857 YARDS, PAR 72


FINAL TEAM RESULTS
1. Carleton College, 325-311-299—935
2. Bethel University, 322-321-313—956
3. Univ. of St. Thomas, 322-325-317—964
4. Gustavus Adolphus, 337-325-320—982
5. Col. of St. Benedict, 330-328-326—984
6. St. Catherine University, 324-329-332—985
7. St. Olaf College, 341-333-333—1007
8. Concordia College, 349-328-345—1022
9. Macalester College, 357-344-343—1044
10. Augsburg College, 380-368-346—1094
11. St. Mary’s University, 372-360-367—1099


FINAL INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
1. Grace Gilmore, Carleton, 80-78-73—231
T2. Shannon Holden, Carleton, 82-78-72—232
T2. Christine Piwnica, Bethel, 79-78-75—232
4. Rachel Morris, St. Thomas, 78-77-78—233
T5. Maxine Carlson, St. Olaf, 77-80-78—235
T5. Leah Swanson, Bethel, 79-80-76—235
7. Geraldine Tellbuescher, Carleton, 81-80-76—237
8. Kaitlyn Alvarez, St. Catherine, 77-80-81—238
T9. Jordan Drenttel, Gustavus, 82-84-76—242
T9. Abby Conzemius, St. Catherine, 78-84-80—242
T9. Emily Thul, St. Thomas, 79-82-81—242