by Eva Dean Folkert
Two sophomores led the Hope College women's golf team to a fourth-place finish at the two-day Kyle Campbell Invitational hosted by Olivet College at The Medalist Golf Club in Marshall, Michigan.
After sophomore Abigail Meder of Lansing (Lansing Catholic Central) shot a 79 on Friday, sophomore Jordyn Rioux's 77 on Saturday earned the Flying Dutch second round's second-best team score of 334.
For the tournament, Hope's two-day total was 669 (335-334). DePauw University took first place with a team score of 607 (311-296).
Once again, Hope was the MIAA's top finisher in the non-league tournament. With seven MIAA teams competing in the 14-team field, Hope bested its nearest league competitor, Albion College, by 23 strokes.
Rioux of Farmington (Livonia Ladywood), pictured left, tied for third place individually with rounds of 81 and 77 (158). Meder, pictured right, finished in 12th place by shooting 79 and 87 (166).
A total of 76 players competed in the invitational.
Senior Ariana Stewart of Kalamazoo (Comstock) tied for 18th by firing a pair of 85s. Freshman Megan Jenkinson of Traverse City (TC West) went five-strokes lower than her Friday round (90) by shooting an 85 on Saturday and finishing tied for 30th. Freshman Deanna DeLeeuw of Hudsonville (Hudsonville) improved too, shooting an 88. When added to her 92 on Friday, DeLeeuw took 42nd place.
"I was very, very happy with our consistency today," stated head coach Greg Stafford post-match. "This (coming) week we'll want to continue to work on that consistency and only worry about what we can control."
The Flying Dutch will return to The Medalist Golf Club for the season's first MIAA Jamboree on Thursday, Sept. 13. Tee time is 1:00 p.m.
"This tournament really helped us get ready for league play," Stafford added, "but we start over on Thursday."
