Tigers lose momentum in match play
CARLSBAD, Calif. – After sneaking into the match play portion of the NCAA Women’s Championship, Auburn couldn’t sustain the momentum and bowed on the short end of a 4-1 decision in the match play quarterfinals Tuesday.
On Monday, the Tigers grabbed the eighth and final spot in stroke play by two shots.
That meant the No. 6 Tigers drew the No. 1 Stanford in the NCAA quarterfinals in their first match at the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa Champions Course in Carlsbad, California.
Stanford jumped out to an early lead in the opening holes before Auburn fought back to take the lead in three matches. The Cardinal then came back to close out three matches, including one that required an extra hole, to win and advance to the national semifinals.
“Anna Davis got down a couple early and kind of chipped away and fought back,” said Auburn head coach Melissa Luellen. “I hate that she lost the 18th hole and then had to go to the first [extra] hole to continue. I know she’s very disappointed with her result, because if we grab that match then there’s hope and anything can happen on this golf course.
“We kept fighting. A couple little things here and there, it just doesn’t take much on this course. If you steer a little right or left, it will set you up in some precarious situations and you’ve got to have a great short game around here. Hats off to Stanford, as I thought their short game was really good and that was the difference.”
Megan Schofill closed out her collegiate career with a win over Paula Martin Sampedro. After surrendering the first hole to Martin Sampedro, Schofill came back with three consecutive wins which included a two on the par-3 third hole to take a 2-up lead through four holes.
Martin Sampedro fought back with wins on No. 10 and No. 11, but the Auburn senior won another three consecutive holes to take a commanding 3-up lead. Schofill was leading by that score on the 16th tee when the match was abandoned.
Stanford’s Rachel Heck jumped out to an early lead on Anna Foster and was the first match to finish at 4&3 to give the Cardinal its first match win.
Davis, a freshman, was 2-down to Sadie Englemann twice during the opening nine, but came back to take the match lead at No. 13.
Englemann won No. 18 to force extra holes, where she won the match on the first extra hole.
Sophomore Katie Cranston took a 1-up lead against Kelly Xu before eventually falling 4&2 clinch the team win for the Cardinal.
Casey Weidenfeld was 2-down to Megha Ganne through 15 holes when her match was abandoned.
Auburn finished as quarterfinalists in 2021 as well as semifinalists in 2019 and 2022.
“La Costa has been fantastic, and I think it’s a great venue for our Championship,” Luellen said. “I would vote for keeping it here for a very long time, even though we have to travel far. It’s a great stroke-play course, it’s a great match-play course, we’re staying on property here and the weather is great, so there are so many positives. It’s been a great week.”
This season, The Tigers captured two tournament victories at the Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic and the NCAA Auburn Regional. Auburn also finished within the top-5 in nine tournaments.
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Featured image courtesy of Auburn Athletics
