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University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
Match Play vs. Campbell
Golf’s record season ends Saturday at Big South Championship
04.16.2022 | Women's Golf
Bulldogs battle No. 1 Campbell to the end but fall in match play
NINETY SIX, S.C. – For the first time ever, UNC Asheville Women's Golf advanced and competed in Saturday's final four, match-play round at the Big South Championship, battling down to the wire before being edged out by No. 1 Campbell 3-2.
"For a team made up of almost entirely sophomores you would have never known it with the nerves of steel and ice in their veins they exhibited this week," said head coach Ericka Schneider. "We have worked so hard on course management and the mental game with our team sports psychologist, Dr. Arnold Kozak, this year and that hard work paid off this week. This group of girls showed grit, passion and dug deeper than I have ever seen before."
Baylee Evans and Venecia Zaia were able to claim victories in their respective matches, with Evans winning 3&1, while Zaia was able to close out her opponent 1-up down the stretch.
"This week was one for the record books and we soaked up every moment of it," said Schneider. "This being Baylee's last tournament, her teammates showed up and showed out, extending her senior collegiate career by one day. And boy did she go out with a splash, winning her match 3&1! I came into this program the same time Baylee did and I cannot be more proud of the person she has become over her four years at UNC Asheville. She truly embodies everything it means to be a bulldog and I am so incredibly honored to have coached her for her four years here."
Phoebe Carles and Hailey Pendleton both fought tooth-and-nail in their matches, but were topped 3&2, and 5&3, respectively. Madyson Gold put in a great round of golf in her match, with Campbell's Tomita Arejola ultimately being able to clinch the team victory on the last hole.
"There were so many special moments this week, I could write a novel about it," Schneider said. "From Hailey conquering finishing strong and going 1-under in her final four holes of the second day of stroke play, Mady's (Gold) clutch birdie put on the final hole of stroke play in the third round and another at the first playoff hole against High Point, Baylee's saucy bunker shot on the 2nd playoff hole to 1 foot on a green that was slipping away from her and towards a lake, Phoebe embracing her inner Kevin Na with the walk-in birdie on the 2nd playoff hole against High Point to help advance us to match play and Venecia making a 25-footer on the last hole of her match to push the overall team match down to the last group, I could go on. All I can say is this team proved the underdogs should never be overlooked, you never know when they are going to come out swinging for the fences. Thank you to my assistant Laura Smith for an amazing spring semester and thank you to my team for an amazing conference tournament. I'm so proud of you and honored to coach you all!"
The 2021-22 Bulldogs team raised the bar significantly, setting new marks for highest team finish (4th), lowest team score (908) and best individual finish (Venecia Zaia, 6th).
"With multiple program records, Venecia's 6th-place finish, the team's lowest score at Conference, our highest finish in the field with a 4th place finish via sudden-death playoff to make match play, making match play and then nearly taking the number one seed down in the first round," Schneider said. "It proves the work this team is putting in is paying off and we're on the right track. Yesterday's playoff and today's match was so exciting and from the moment the team knew they were going into a playoff they had the perfect mindset. 'We're not done yet.' They met each challenge with grace, confidence, positivity, and belief that they belonged, as they should because they do!"
Campbell has advanced to face USC Upstate in the final round of the tournament to determine who will compete in the NCAA Tournament. To view all of the scoring and results, visit the live stats link here.
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Players Mentioned
