Chippewas Surge To 4th-Place Finish At EMU

Monday, October 8

Ypsilanti, MI

TBA

Central Michigan University

Shirley Spork EMU Invitational (Eagle Crest Resort)

Senior Bria Colosky made three birdies and an eagle in posting a sizzling 31 on her back nine on Tuesday during the final round of the Shirley Spork EMU Invitational.

Photo by: Mary Lewandowski

10/9/2018 5:55:00 PM | Women's Golf

Scoreboard

Laude ties for fifth as Chippewas make strong statement

By: Andy Sneddon

Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com

YPSILANTI, Mich. – Jami Laude shot 74 and Bria Colosky posted a 75 on Tuesday as the Central Michigan golf team surged to a fourth-place finish in the Shirley Spork EMU Invitational at Eagle Crest Golf Club.

The Chippewas recorded a 308 team score, the second-lowest of the day in the 10-team field behind tournament-champion Bowling Green's 295.

The Falcons finished the two-day, 36-hole event with a 592 team total. Cleveland State (615) was second, Oakland (617) was third, and CMU finished fourth at 620, one shot ahead Western Michigan and Loyola-Chicago, both of which shot 621 to tie for fifth.

"I feel pretty good," said first-year CMU coach Jim Earle, whose team began the day in seventh place. "Pretty proud of the women. We again made some big numbers and fought our way back. They're grinders. To post the second-lowest round of the day today, I'm really proud of that."

MAKING STRIDES
The Chippewas continued their upward surge after their third-place finish in their last tournament, two weeks ago at the Oakland Golden Grizzlies Invitational. That finish was the second-best since the program's resurrection before the 2014-15 season. The best finish was a second at the Western Michigan Kzoo Classic in fall, 2017.

The finish at the Spork ties CMU's third best since '14-15, and it may be, relatively speaking, the Chippewas' best performance in light of the fact that it came against a field that included four other Mid-American Conference teams (Bowling Green, Western Michigan, Eastern Michigan and Ohio) along with solid programs such as Oakland and Cleveland State.

"Coming off of Oakland, the third place, as a team, we fed off of that," Colosky said, adding that the feeling among the Chippewas now is that "we can compete with these people; we're just as good if not better."

Said Earle: "I think they're starting to feel comfortable in that position and in knowing that it's not just a fluke, one-tournament deal. We just have to keep at it, keep working hard, and keep on track. It feels really good to see Central up there in the top quarter of the leader board and fighting it out. There is a lot of confidence that we can take from it."

OTHER CMU SCORES
CMU's Meghan Deardorff shot 78 on Tuesday, while Rachel Leucuta shot 81 and Holly Hines carded an 83. CMU's Danielle Sawyer, playing as an individual, matched Laude for the low round of the day among the Chippewas with a season-best 75.

WHERE THEY FINISHED
Laude, who started the day in 14^th place individually, finished among a group tied for fifth with a 5-over 149 total. Colosky, who began the day tied for 25^th, finished tied for 16^th at 10-over 154.

Also for the Chippewas, Deardorff finished at 157 and tied for 24^th, one slot better than she had started the day, while Sawyer moved up 23 spots to finish tied for 29^th with a 159 total. Hines finished at 163 and Leucuta at 164.

"That was pretty neat," Earle said of the Chippewas climbing the leader board in the final round. "We've been really stressing that, finishing strong. Just love to see that."

Bowling Green's Jessica Madry shot a 2-under 70 to finish at 3-under 141 and claim medalist honors. She finished three shots ahead of Elayna Bowser of Loyola (Chicago), who shot 1-over 73 on Tuesday and finished at even par.

BREAKING IT DOWN
Laude turned in yet another steady, solid round with one birdie and three bogeys in carding a 37-37.

Colosky, who started on the 10^th hole, shot 44 on her front nine, which included a quadruple bogey and a triple bogey. She played her back nine – the front nine on the course – in 5-under 31, a remarkable turnaround. Her second nine comprised an eagle, three birdies and five pars.

"Mentally I was like, You let's just forget about this nine and keep playing," Colosky said of her mindset as she began her second nine. "I just kept going and it was like a different day. It was like a snowball in a good way."

Colosky birdied her 11^th, 13^th and 14^th holes and then carded her eagle – one of just two by the entire 61-player field in the tournament – on her 16^th hole, the 343-yard par-4 seventh.

Her 9-iron approach from 121 yards took one hop and dunked into the cup. She did not see it fall, but her father, Denny, did.

"My dad was standing to the left of the green and basically pin high and he saw it go in," Colosky said.

HISTORIC
• The Chippewas' 620 team score ties for the second-best 36-hole score in program history. They shot 620 in March in the North Florida Collegiate. The record is 613, which they posted last fall at the Ball State Cardinal Classic.

• CMU''s 308 in Tuesday's round ties for the sixth best 18-hole round in program history. The record is 304.

"I think we're really close to breaking that team scoring record not once but multiple times," Earle said.

• Laude's 149 total ties for the third-best 36-hole score in program history, and her 74 ties for the 12^th best for 18 holes.

NEXT
The Chippewas are scheduled to play in the 54-hole MAC Fall Preview Oct. 14-15 at Purgatory Golf Club in Noblesville, Ind. CMU is the host team for the event.