BECKER, Minn.- UNW Women's Golf had a long list of accomplishments entering Day Three of the UMAC Championship on Saturday afternoon. The Eagles won every single event they played in throughout the regular season, and had beaten the previous school record for lowest score in a round three times (once in the UMAC Championship). The one thing the Eagles hadn't yet accomplished was winning the UMAC Championship for the first time since 2008, and punching their ticket to the NCAA National Tournament for the first time in program history. They crossed that accomplishment off their list on Saturday.
The Eagles won the UMAC Championship in dramatic fashion on Day Three of the three day tournament. The Eagles entered the final day of competition with a 17 stroke lead over Minnesota-Morris. That lead evaporated quickly throughout the afternoon as the Cougars refused to go away quietly. After the front nine, Morris had cut UNW's lead to seven strokes. This set up a dramatic finish in one of the most compelling final days in the history of the UMAC Championship.
A few holes into the back nine, a shocked crowd saw the Cougars tie the Eagles having erased the 17 stroke deficit. A couple important, consecutive pars by
Mattie Krause (Clear Lake, Iowa/Clear Lake) and
Kelly Van Den Bussche (Princeton, Ill./Princeton) put the Eagles back up seven strokes coming down to the final couple holes. It appeared as if UNW had a large enough cushion to cruise into a UMAC Championship. That was not the case.
The Cougars had a blistering hot finish, featuring an important birdie, and took their first lead of the weekend with only one pairing still left out on the course. Northwestern trailed by one stroke as their only senior,
Mattie Krause (Clear Lake, Iowa/Clear Lake), finished holes 17 and 18. Krause was not intimidated by the big moment, and erased the one stroke deficit on the 17
th hole and then held onto that lead on the 18
th and final hole. The Eagles won the Championship by a single stroke.
Not only was
Mattie Krause (Clear Lake, Iowa/Clear Lake) the one who sealed the title for Northwestern, she was the team's top scorer on Day Three, and on the weekend overall. Krause shot an 86 (+14) on Day Three, and finished fourth overall by shooting a 261 (+45). The senior has been a leader on and off the golf course for Northwestern throughout her career, and it is fitting that she was the last one playing today and set the Eagles to the National Tournament.
Kirsten Darling (Coon Rapids, Minn./Legacy Christian Academy) shot a 91 (+19) on Saturday afternoon and finished in a tie for 7
th place with a 271 (+55). The golfer that Darling tied with just happened to have been a fellow Eagle.
Kelly Van Den Bussche (Princeton, Ill./Princeton) shot a 94 (+22) to finish with a 271 (+55) as well.
Claire Haakenson (Albertville, Minn./St. Michael Albertville) rounded things out for Northwestern, shooting a 95 (+23). Haakenson finished in the top ten as well, ending in a tie for ninth.
This is the best Women's Golf team in Northwestern history, and balance has been the key all season long. Every single Eagle who competed in the UMAC Championship (
Mattie Krause (Clear Lake, Iowa/Clear Lake),
Kelly Van Den Bussche (Princeton, Ill./Princeton),
Claire Haakenson (Albertville, Minn./St. Michael Albertville),
Kirsten Darling (Coon Rapids, Minn./Legacy Christian Academy), and
Natalie Wilcox (Danville, Iowa./Danville)) was named to the All-Conference Team.
The championship punches Northwestern's ticket to the National Tournament that will be held in Houston, Texas in May of 2022.
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DAY TWO
The UNW Women's Golf team wrote another chapter into their historic season on Day Two of the UMAC Championship meet. The Eagles comfortably broke the school record (a record they broke earlier in the season, and then tied on Day One of the UMAC Championship) by five strokes, shooting a 351, the lowest round in school history.
The Eagles remain in control on the leaderboard, with only one day of competition remaining. UNW extended their lead to 17 strokes over second place Minnesota-Morris. Northwestern currently has a score of 707 (+131), and the Cougars are the biggest threat to the Eagles with their score of 724 (+184). The Eagles are sitting in a very good position as the championship comes to a close tomorrow afternoon.
Kelly Van Den Bussche (Princeton, Ill./Princeton) was remarkable as she led the way for the Eagles on Day Two. Van Den Bussche won the day, as she put up the best individual score of all the competitors. The sophomore scored an 85 (+13) which was seven strokes better than her Day One score. A strong Day Two performance has tied Van Den Bussche for fifth place, and has her nine strokes out from the leader.
The freshman,
Claire Haakenson (Albertville, Minn./St. Michael Albertville), was a big piece to the Eagles' record breaking day. Haakenson shot an 87 (+15), which tied her with her teammate Van Den Bussche for fifth place and nine strokes out of the individual conference champion race.
Mattie Krause (Clear Lake, Iowa/Clear Lake) shot an 89 (+17) and is the top Eagle in the individual standings for the weekend. The lone Eagle senior is in sole possession of fourth place with a 175 (+31) on the weekend. Krause finished in fourth place last spring at the UMAC Championship, and is in good position to match or top that finish this season.
Kirsten Darling (Coon Rapids, Minn./Legacy Christian Academy) rounded out the top four for Northwestern, shooting a 90 (+18) on Day Two. Darling has been consistent, shooting a 90 on Day One as well. The sophomore has a strong score of 180 (+36) going into the final day.
The Eagles have won the conference championship two times in program history, 2006 and 2008. It has been a thirteen year drought, and the Eagles have a good chance to end that drought tomorrow on the final day of the championship. UNW Women's Golf has never been to the NCAA tournament, and would earn the first berth in program history with a win tomorrow. Live stats can be found on umacathletics.com.
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DAY ONE
The UNW Women's Golf team did their thing once again on Thursday afternoon, as they got off to a great start at the UMAC Championship. The Eagles tied the school record (a mark that they set themselves earlier in the season) by shooting a 356, and lead the match by nine strokes going into day two.
Minnesota-Morris is the team closest to the Eagles. The Cougars shot a 356 (+77) to stay within striking distance of Northwestern. Wisconsin-Superior is also in the mix, trailing the Eagles by 19 strokes.
As has been the case all season long, the ladies of the Eagles' Golf Team put on an incredible display of balance. It was not one individual who carried UNW on Thursday, but a great effort by the entire team. Four Eagles placed in the top five of the individual leaderboard, and all five of the competing Eagles placed in the top 10.
Leading the Eagles was the lone senior,
Mattie Krause (Clear Lake, Iowa/Clear Lake). Krause has had success in her career at Pebble Creek, and had another strong day to start the 2021 championship. Shooting an 86 (+14), Krause finished in a tie for second place as an individual and only trails the leader by four strokes. With two days to make up those strokes, Krause will have a chance to be in the mix for the individual UMAC title.
Natalie Wilcox (Danville, Iowa./Danville),
Kirsten Darling (Coon Rapids, Minn./Legacy Christian Academy), and
Claire Haakenson (Albertville, Minn./St. Michael Albertville) not only have great chemistry off of the golf course as good friends, but clearly have it on the course as well. The three teammates all finished in a tie for fifth, shooting an identical score of 90 (+18). Having four players in the top five individual finishers is an incredible accomplishment, and will make the Eagles difficult to beat this weekend if it continues.
Kelly Van Den Bussche (Princeton, Ill./Princeton), who already has a win at Pebble Creek this season, had a strong day as well shooting a 92 (+20) finishing in a tie for 10
th.
The Eagles have already put together an incredible season by shooting the best score in program history twice (including this afternoon) and by winning every meet they have competed in. The Eagles could give the storybook season a perfect ending by holding onto their lead over these next two days. Live scores and updates can be found throughout the weekend at umacathletics.com, and recaps from the days can be found right here at unweagles.com.
