LAKEWOOD RANCH, Fla. — Abbie Gault and Cassidy Jurkaites both picked up wins as day one drew to a close at Lakewood Ranch Country Club in the Mid-American Match Play Challenge hosted by Bowling Green on Monday (Feb. 3).
"The team played better this afternoon but just missed winning the third match for the team win in the second round," Director of Golf Lia Biehl Lukkarinen said. "We would have been happy with our scores in stroke play, so we will work on finishing strong tomorrow."
As the 11-seed, the Leathernecks dropped the first match 4-1 to the 6-seed, Western Michigan in the opening round. The Broncos took an early advantage when Cameryn Lucia saw the match become tied multiple times but held on against WIU freshman Katie Tanner (2UP).
Gault faced Alissa Fish of WMU and won with two holes left to play (3&2). Western Michigan completed the team victory with individual decisions over Emily Marrs (2&1), Jurkaites (3&2) and Natalie Hooper (4&3).
Western Illinois picked up some momentum in the consolation bracket against Ohio. Another match involving Tanner went down to the wire with Mallory Lovell squeaking away with the victory (2&1).
For her second win of the day, Gault cruised past Maria Howard of the Bobcats (4&3).
Ashley Flynn topped Marrs (3&1) before Cassidy Jurkaites drew the match even with a clutch 2&1 decision over Alicia Porvasnik. Ohio's Catherine Loftus pulled through to defeat Hooper (4&3) and that was the difference in the narrow 3-2 Leatherneck loss.