CMU Golfers Capture Battle At Boone

Saturday, March 20

Florence, Ky./Boone Links Golf Course

8:30 a.m.

Central Michigan University

Battle at Boone Match Play

3/20/2021 10:47:00 PM | Women's Golf

It's the Chippewas second tournament win in 2021

By: Julia Bice, CMUChippewas.com

FLORENCE, Ky. – Another event, and another win for the Central Michigan golf team.

The Chippewas defeated Bellarmine and Morehead State, both by 4-2 scores, on Saturday to capture the Battle at the Boone Match Play at Boone Links Golf Course.

It is the second win of the spring season for CMU, which won the North Carolina A&T Aggie Spring Invitational three weeks ago.

All six CMU players won at least one match and two, freshman Rachel Kauflin and sophomore Padgett Chitty, went 2-0 on the day on Saturday at Boone Links.

"We had to play some really good golf to get away with the win that we did today," CMU coach Jim Earle said. "This is another match-play event where everyone scored a point for us; and that is huge in coming out on top. A true total team effort.

"We knew coming in we were going to have to play good golf, and we played some dang good golf."

Kauflin defeated her Bellarmine's Olivia Pennybaker, 3 and 2; and then topped Morehead State's Olivia Hensley, 5 and 4. Kauflin won all three of her matches earlier this season when the Chippewas went 3-0 at the North Carolina A&T Aggie Spring Invitational. She is 5-0 in match play this season.

"She is just a bulldog," Earle said. "Rachel was hitting the ball well, made some really smart decisions, and ultimately sunk some putts that gave her the wins today."

Chitty posted a 3 and 2 win over Alaina Schmitt of Bellarmine and followed with a 2 and 1 win over Isabella Washka of Morehead State.

Against Bellarmine, the Chippewas also got a 1-up win from Ashley Goh over Josephine Bonin and a 7 and 6 victory from Mackenzie Baustad. Against Morehead State, CMU's Zoe Vartyan defeated Bridget Connolly, and Meghan Deardorff topped Hailey Rietz. Both Vartyan and Deardorff won 1-up.

Against Bellarmine, Deardorff dropped a 3 and 1 decision to Caroline McCrorey, and Vartyan fell, 3 and 2, to Jessica Stevens. Against Morehead State, Goh dropped a 1-down decision to MacKenzie Neal and Baustad fell, 7 and 6, to Sarah Black.

"Deardorff and Vartyan faced players in the first match who had career days, and then they turned around and played amazing to get those wins (against Morehead State) and seal the deal for us," Earle said.

Central Michigan will make the 1-hour, 15-minute drive across the state to Prospect for the 54-hole Nevel Mead Collegiate at Nevel Mead Golf Club beginning on Monday. The field includes the Chippewas and host Cleveland State, Oakland, IUPUI, Eastern Kentucky, Youngstown State, Illinois-Chicago, and Purdue Fort Wayne.