Golf plays unexpected rounds

In an impromptu match following the Big Sky Conference Championship, the Eastern Washington University women's golf team fell to Gonzaga by a team score of 325-329. "It actually allows us to practice another week, which is a good thing, rather than typically ending our season until September of next year," said women's Head Coach Marc Hughes of this year's unusual schedule.

The match against Gonzaga was played Friday, May 1, at Hangman Valley Golf Course in Spokane, Wash., nearly two weeks after the Eagles, who tied for seventh place in the conference tournament, were originally scheduled to end their season.

Because of financial considerations regarding traveling expenses, Eastern's team had canceled their participation in a tournament earlier this season, the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) Spring Invitational. The cancellation, however, put Eastern below the minimum number of tournaments required by the NCAA for a Division I golf team in a given season.

"It's a financial deal, really. Gonzaga asks us every year to play a one-day-er in town and usually my gates are taken up. But this year because we didn't go to UNLV because of the budget, we're doing this instead," said Hughes.

The UNLV Spring Invitational, which took place from March 9 to 11 in Las Vegas, would have required thousands of dollars in traveling expenses that Hughes and Athletic Director Bill Chaves deemed frivolous considering the university's current financial climate.

Eastern was attempting to re-schedule a local tournament, potentially versus Washington State or Idaho, for sometime in mid-April to replace the one they had lost until the opportunity to compete against Gonzaga presented itself.

"[Chaves and I] talked about it off and on throughout the year. It's not a real formal thing, we just kind of threw it together," said Hughes.

Although the dates were unfortunately late in the season, the match with Gonzaga was designed to ensure Eastern's chances of potentially making the NCAA Regional Tournament, which would have come through a victory in the Big Sky Conference Tournament.

Gonzaga was led by junior Anna Friedhoff who shot a 77. Stephaney Corey (79), Jessica Howe (82) and Lauren Bierley (87) also competed for the Bulldogs.

Eagle sophomore Kristina Gargaro turned in an impressive 76 to lead all players, while Kellie Holmstedt shot a 79 and Kylie Ray finished with a 94, placing third and last, respectively. Senior Marli Mikulecky finished her EWU career with a score of 80.

In her career at EWU Mikulecky scored a hole in one, the lowest round ever played by an Eastern golfer (67), two Big Sky Conference Golfer of the Week awards, an All-Big Sky first team season and two Big Sky Conference All-Academic Team seasons.