Florida Tech Panthers Sports Roundup
By Florida Tech // April 9, 2014
Women’s Golf Places Second at the U.S. Women’s Invitational
While rain washed out the first two rounds of the U.S. Women’s Championship, the No. 3 Florida Tech Panthers took the course at Pine Island Country Club for the lone 18-holes Tuesday afternoon.
The Panthers finished second overall, and freshman Johanna Larsson won the individual championship.
“We would have certainly liked to finish first,” said head coach Chris Saltmarsh. “We had a good run going through the first 13 holes, but ran into some problems, and had some bad shots. I think being washed out Monday was tough. We have a young team, and they get better as a tournament goes on.”
The Panthers turned in a team score of 307. Larsson recorded a tournament best one-over-par 73. Sophomore Felicia Leftinger, and junior Jara’ Templet both shot rounds of 76. Junior Rachel Polson finished with a round of 82, and freshman Guro Rambjoer rounded out the scoring with an 83.
No. 2 Barry took home the team championship by five shots over the Panthers. For Larsson, Tuesday marked the third time she finished in at least a tie for first, and her three wins match former Panther Daniela Iacobelli for the most victories in one season. She took home the individual championship by one shot over Krysta Schaus of Erskine College. It was the second consecutive year a Panther has won the individual championship after Jessica Hook won last year’s event as a senior.
“She [Larsson] played well,” Saltmarsh said. “She only had a couple of mistakes that kept her out of red numbers, and a more decisive win. This is the third time she has won an event, second outright, and she is putting together a nice resume for her freshman season.”
The Panthers will now get ready for the 2014 Sunshine State Conference Golf Championships this weekend. The SSC Championships begin on Sunday, April 13 at Lake Jovita Golf & Country Club in Dade City, Fla.
Florida Tech Hosts Warriors on the Campus Courts Wednesday
No. 44 Florida Tech (6-9) steps out of Sunshine State Conference action and hosts Webber International University (10-8) on Wednesday, April 9 at 1 p.m. on the campus courts.
The match will be the Warriors’ regular season finale and Florida Tech’s final scheduled game on the Panther Tennis Courts this season. As of now, the match is also Florida Tech’s home finale.
Florida Tech is coming off an 8-1 loss to No. 32 Florida Southern College (10-8) on Monday afternoon.Patrick Hernandez improved to 7-7 in singles No. 1, defeating Emanuel Lueber in a three-set thriller, 4-6, 6-2, 10-8. No. 23 Hernandez andWade Ball fell just short in doubles No. 1, 8-5, and Daniel Armellino and Bruno Rodriguesforced a tiebreaking set in doubles No. 3 that ultimately went to the Mocs, 9-8 (10-3).
In singles play, Armellino and Ball competed in flights No. 4 and No. 5, respectively, but fell in three sets. Following its match with Webber International, Florida Tech heads to Winter Park to take on No. 20 Rollins College (8-9) on April 14 at 2 p.m. Beau Fieldsend leads Florida Tech with 10 singles wins, six coming in flight No. 4.
In his last nine singles matches, the New Braunfels, Texas native is 7-2. Fieldsend and Matic Leskovar are 12-6 as a duo and 8-2 in their last 10 matches, all in doubles No. 2.
