Golf Competes in Season Opener
Sept. 11, 2018, Sterling, Colo. – With golf season in full swing, the Northeastern golf teams competed in their first golf tournament of the season. The host team was the Central Wyoming Rustlers and took place in Riverton, Wyo. The Plainswomen were looking to continue their success from last year's national tournament appearance, while the men were looking to crack the top two.
The first day of competition can sometimes be the toughest of the two days for players. Some players are trying to get accustomed to the course and adjust their distances, while some find that they play conservative which can lead to better scores. Regardless of how individuals play, the first tournament is always nerve-racking.
After the first day for the men, Brett Mattson lead the Plainsmen by posting a score of 77, Bradon Baxter shot an 81, Codey Smith posted an 82, Logan Wood and Tate Higgins each shot an 89, and Sam Ostravich was next with a 90. On the women's side, Jessica Salazar led the team by shooting a 96, Baily Kreider posted a 107, Angela Cristelli was next with a 108, and Megan Young had a 157.
Day two fared much better for some to help individuals move up the leaderboard. Brett Mattson shot two strokes better, which landed him a 5th place finish. Bradon Baxter found himself in trouble with a few holes and shot an 88, which placed him tied for 21st with Cody Smith, who shot an 87. Sam Ostravich improved his score by nine, allowing him to place 23rd. Logan Wood shot four strokes better placing him at 25th, while Tate Higgins shot a 92 finishing him tied for 28th. After everything was tallied, the Plainsmen finished the tournament in 5th place.
For the Plainswomen, some girls were able to shave some points off their score. Jessica Salazar stayed solid and shot a 97, which placed her tied for 5th. Baily Kreider dropped seven strokes, putting her in a 7th place finish. Angela Cristelli finished in 9th after saving a stroke by shooting a 107. Lastly, Megan Young also shaved seven strokes off her previous day and shot a 150, landing her in 13th place.
The teams will be back in action on Thursday, Sept. 13 as they head to Torrington, Wyo. to play in the Eastern Wyoming Tournament.