Lady Railsplitters Finish Second At Maryville College Women's Invitational

Box Score

MARYVILLE, TN - The young but talented Lincoln Memorial University women's golf team has come a long way since the spring 2008 season when they struggled throughout the schedule.  Over the past weekend, the Lady Railsplitters traveled to nearby Maryville, Tennessee to particpate in the Maryville College Women's Invitational and placed second among the six teams competing in this year's tournament.

Finishing at the top of the list was LMU's arch-rival Carson-Newman College who won the event with a team score of 597.  The LMU women finished only 11 strokes off the pace by turning in a combined 608 to take second place.  Another Lady Railsplitter rival, Tusculum College placed third in the tournament with a score of 639, while the remainder of the field consisted of Tennessee Wesleyan College (680), Maryville College (729) and Mars Hill College (782).

Local product and sophomore Maria Stapleton (White Pine, TN) carried the LMU attack.  Stapleton finished in third place overall with rounds of 76 and 76 for a final 152, while teammate Brittany McCowan (Sevierville, TN) finished one stroke behind Stapleton with rounds of 77 and 76 to take fifth place with a combined total 152, 13 strokes off the lead.

Also finishing inside the top-10 was Lady Railsplitter freshman Desta Coaker (Dunsford, Ontario, Canada).  Coaker shot rounds of 78 and 76 to place seventh overall with a 154, while freshman Whitney Ball (Newport, TN) and junior veteran Kristen Wolff (Amhurstberg, Ontario, Canada) narrowly missed finishing inside the top-10 with two-day totals of 155 and 156.  Wolff's first day score of 73 was the best round of the tournament but tailed off in day-two.

LMU's Chelsea Boshears (Jacksboro, TN), Rhoni Daikoff (Orilla, Ontario, Canada) and Megan Rutter (Burlington, Ontario, Canada) all had improved performances.  Boshears finished the tournament with rounds of 82 and 76 for a two-day total 158, while Daikoff shot and 81 and an 87 for a final 168.  Newcomber Megan Rutter turned in a pair of 88's to complete the first tournament of the season with a combined 176.

This weekend the LMU women's golf team travels to Etowah, North Carolina to participate in the Women's Independent College Invitational hosted by Etowah Valley Community College.  The tournament gets underway on Saturday and will finish Sunday afternoon.

Which fall sport are you looking forward to the most?