SANTA BARBARA CAPTURES FOURTH WOMEN’S GOLF STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
by Jerry Hannula, CCCSIA Women's Golf Rep
MORRO BAY, CA - The Santa Barbara City College women's golf team captured its fourth state title on Monday at the California Community College Athletic Association women's golf state championship held on the picturesque Morro Bay golf course.
The Vaqueros posted a four-person team score of 333 on Monday for a two-day total of 655, extending their first day, 15-stroke team lead over second-place Citrus College (Glendora, CA) which posted a 345 score on Monday for a 682 total. Reedley College was third (696) after carding a 346 on Monday while Sierra College (Rocklin, CA) posted a 360 for a two-day total of 709.
Santa Barbara's Carolin Chang shot a 3-over-par 75 on Monday and captured the individual medalist honors with a tournament total of 7-over-par 151. She was one of only two players to break 80 on the second day when pin placements made two of the holes extremely challenging. Citrus sophomore Jamie Lopez carded a 78 on Monday for a two-day total of 154 and runner-up medalist honors.
The pin placement on the first hole created conversation from the players about the multiple putts it required and the difficulty in starting off the round. But it was the pin on the 12th hole that did the most damage to the scorecards when good putts wouldn't hold near the cup on the hillside green, rolling down toward the level area. It was the same hole which caused elevated scores at last year's state championship event.
Santa Barbara's team title was assisted by an 83 from Isabella Doub and an 86 by Vanesa Villa. Citrus' runner-up finish was led by Lopez with Lexandra So posting an 80 and Alexis Tunstad posting an 87. Reedley saw Katie Horsford post an 82 on Monday with Jessica Rudd and Taylor Vaughn each posting an 86. Deedra Dollesin (84) was the low scorer for Sierra with Jessica Pisenti adding an 89.
The top six players earned All-State honors, headed by Chang, Lopez, College of the Desert sophomore Fumika Matsumoto (155), So (159), and College of the Canyons sophomore Tiffany Whittaker (162). Brittany Bilek of Palomar won a card-off over Hyerin Kim of Irvine Valley and Sierra's Dollesin for the sixth slot after all three ended up with two-day totals of 163.
Team Finish
Santa Barbara City College 655 (322-333)
Citrus College 682 (337-345)
Reedley College 696 (350-346)
Sierra College 709 (349-360)
All-State awards
Carolin Chang, Santa Barbara 151 (76-75)
Jamie Lopez, Citrus 154 (76-78)
Fumika Matsumoto, Desert 155 (75-80)
Lexandra So, Citrus 159 (79-80)
Tiffany Whittaker, Canyons 162 (80-82)
Brittany Bilek, Palomar 63 (80-83)