DC Women’s Golf Makes Charge at HCAC Championships

DEFIANCE, Ohio – Defiance College shaved 13 shots off of its opening round score from Saturday, when it fired a 385 in Sunday's final round of the 2011 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Championships. The Jackets ended the eight-team event in sixth place with a 36-hole tally of 783.

DC's strong showing on Sunday helped the Yellow Jackets hold off Rose-Hulman (796) and Mount St. Joseph (817) in the standings, while nearly overtaking Manchester for fifth. Defiance fell just short of a top-five performance by ending three strokes off the pace of the Spartans.

Franklin used a 326 on Sunday to break away from a tightly grouped top four, as the Grizzlies claimed the HCAC Championship with a 676. Transylvania ended in second with a 700, while Hanover (702), Anderson (718) and Manchester (780) closed the top five.

FC also topped the individual standings, as Brittany Stephens closed her collegiate career with a 161 and the HCAC Medalist honors, while teammate Avery Brown ended in second place with a 167.

Phoenix Golnick carded a 92 on Sunday for Defiance's best single-round total of the event and scored a top-25 finish with a two-day total of 190. Sarah Westfall and Tara Miller also ended among the top 30 with scores of 193 and 195 and Kelly Beard took 32nd with a 205.

Along with chipping in with a top-30 score, Miller also capped her collegiate career by being selected to the HCAC All-Sportsmanship Team.

Defiance's sixth-place finish and final of 783 marked the best finish and lowest score of any DC women's golf squad since the program was reinstated prior to 2006. The Jackets will look to take another step forward next season, with seven letterwinners set to return to the roster.