Bearcats Lower Team Score by 46 Points in Final Round of NWC Tournament

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

AURORA, Ore. -- The Willamette University women's golf team improved by 46 strokes in the second round of the 2024 Northwest Conference Tournament as the 36-hole event concluded at Langdon Farms Golf Club on Sunday, April 21. All four of Willamette golfers lowered their scores from the first round. The improved play by the Bearcats resulted in a team score of 348 on Sunday after Willamette ended Saturday's round with a score of 394.

Saida Seelig (So., Portland, OR/Wilson HS) recorded the lowest overall score for the Bearcats at 175, with a 90 in the first round and an 85 in the second. Roberta Moore (So., Lakewood, WA/Lakes HS/Lewis & Clark College) earned the biggest improvement from a 103 in the first round to an 80 in the second round. She produced the eighth best score among all 40 golfers competing on Sunday.

Anushka Srivastav (Sr., Pune, India/Mahindra International School) lowered her score by 10 strokes from a 100 in the first round to a 90 in the second round. Mallory Tolliver (So., Columbus, OH/Upper Arlington HS) improved by eight strokes from a 101 in the first round to a 93 in the second round.

Alsion Takayiya of George Fox University won the individual title at the NWC Tournament with a score of 148. Takamiya shot a 76 in the first round and carded a 72 in the second round. The 1-over par 72 was the low round of the tournament. Makensie Toole of George Fox was second at 150 with back-to-back rounds of 75, and Liana Brown of George Fox was third at 154 as she shot 80-74. Bead Boonta from Pacific University placed fourth at 156 (77-79) and Brianna McNelly of Whitworth University was fifth at 158 (79-79).

Two golfers from Whitman College, Cindy Luo and Ellena Jeong tied for sixth place with scores of 160. Luo shot 85-75 and Jeong shot 82-78. Kira Goode from the University of Puget Sound took eighth place at 161 (77-84). Abby Matelski from Pacific Lutheran University was ninth at 162 (83-79 and Ainsley Carter of GFU was 10th at 163 (82-81).

George Fox won the NWC Tournament and also claimed the overall NWC Championship. In the tournament, the Bruins attained a score of 615 with a 313 in the first round and a 302 in the second round. Whitman was second at 654 (333-321), Whitworth was third at 657 (331-326), Pacific placed fourth at 670 (351-319), and Pacific Lutheran was fifth at 678 (350-328). Puget Sound earned sixth place at 714 (357-357), Linfield University was seventh at 730 (364-366), and Willamette was eighth at 742 (394-348). Lewis & Clark College did not enter a complete team.

The NWC Tournament is one of three events used to determine the overall Northwest Conference champion each season. The NWC Fall Classic is worth one-fourth of the title and the NWC Spring Classic is worth one-fourth of the title. The NWC Tournament is worth one-half of the title. GFU grabbed the team championship with a score of 32 points, after taking first place in all three conference events. Whitman was second at 27 points, with Whitworth in third at 25, Pacific in fourth at 20, Pacific Lutheran in fifth at 16, Puget Sound in sixth at 12, Linfield in seventh at 7, Willamette in eighth at 4, and Lewis & Clark in ninth with no points.

Takamiya from George Fox was named the NWC Women's Golf Player of the Year and Boonta from Pacific was selected as the NWC Women's Golf Rookie of the Year. GFU Head Coach Mary Jo McCloskey was voted the NWC Women's Golf Coach of the Year.