WL, CU, OVU, WJU Expected To Wage Tight Battle At WVIAC Women's Golf Championship
4/22/2010 2:25:33 AM
(PRINCETON, W.Va.)---Two-time defending champion West Liberty, upstart Concord, Ohio Valley, and Wheeling Jesuit are expected to wage a tight battle when the 2010 WVIAC Women's Golf Championship tees off Friday at the Canaan Valley Resort.
West Liberty captured the WVIAC Northern and Southern Regional events during the fall and owns four victories on the season. The Toppers rolled to a 30-stroke victory over runner-up Ohio Valley in last year's championship after recording a 36-hole team total of 655.
However, second-year program Concord is the conference's lone regionally ranked squad. The 11th ranked Lady Lions earned their first tournament team victory earlier this month with a 32-stroke victory at West Chester's Cottrell Invitational.
Wheeling Jesuit edged both Ohio Valley and West Liberty to take last month's Ohio Valley Tournament. Ohio Valley, a second-place finisher in the past three WVIAC Championships, looks to shed their bridesmaid label and notch a league championship.
West Virginia Wesleyan, Seton Hill, and Fairmont State each look to garner top half finishes. Glenville State, Pitt Johnstown, and West Virginia State complete the ten-team field.
In the individual race, Ohio Valley senior Anne-Clair Tans hopes to cap a dominant career with her third consecutive medalist finish at the league championship. Tans also placed second as a freshman. Last season, her rounds of 80 and 77 were just enough to nip West Liberty's Emily Taylor by two strokes.
In addition to Tans and Taylor, other top contenders for individual honors include Haygen Mowder (WL), Vivian Garciaferro (CU), Lara Storrar (OVU), Sofia Svensson (CU), Sarah Relyea (WL), and Rachel Hickman (WJU).
The 36-hole event over the 5,805-yard, par-72 course at Canaan Valley Resort concludes on Saturday.
Past WVIAC Women's Golf Champions:
2002: West Liberty
2003: Fairmont State
2004: Fairmont State
2005: West Liberty
2006: Wheeling Jesuit
2007: Wheeling Jesuit
2008: West Liberty
2009: West Liberty