Feb. 16, 2010
KINDER, La. -- Julie Aime made her college golf debut one she will always remember.
Not only did the true freshman help Lamar to the team title but her final two rounds of 73 and 71 allowed her to capture medalist honors with a 54-hole score of 224 (8-over).
"I was really happy with the way we played near the end of Monday and all day Tuesday," LU head coach Brian White said. "The girls dealt with the frost delays both days (of the tournament) and gave us something to build on for the remainder of the spring season.
"The fact that we had to count an 85 made this a little sweeter."
Both days saw the par 72 tract at Koasati Pines saturated as a result of frost delays that forced the competitors to play lift-clean-and-place, in addition to lengthening the 6,025-yard layout to its maximum yardage.
Aime, who enrolled at Lamar last month and is from just outside Nice, France, opened the event with an uninspiring 80 before her even-par play down the strech gave her a three-stroke victory over Balbina Guajardo of Houston Baptist.
Senior Linda Persson tied for third with a steady final 36 that saw her post a 79-75-54-228 total. It was her third top-five finish in five events this year. Junior Ashley Thorpe added a pair of 78s to Monday's 81 that pushed her total to 237 and a tie for 13th, marking her highest finish all season.
Junior Stine Pedersen tied for 41st with a 81-81-85--247, one stroke ahead of freshman Lauren Van Gerven at 80-82-86--248, who tied for 46th.
Sophomore Jennel Alexander, who was competing as an individual, tied for 58th at 89-82-83--254.
Lamar outdistanced the 14-team field, which included seven of the eight Southland Conference schools that sponsor women's golf, by one shot over Sam Houston State (936), with UTSA (943), Houston Baptist (947) and Louisiana-Monroe (950) rounding out the top five.
The win was Lamar's second this season after opening the fall schedule with a win at Jacksonville State's Chris Banister Classic in early September.
The Lady Cards will return to action in two weeks at the USA Lady Jaguar Classic in Mobile, Ala. at the Azalea City GC.
Team Results
1 Lamar 320 307 308 935 +71
2 Sam Houston State 314 321 301 936 +72
3 UTSA 328 312 303 943 +79
4 Houston Baptist 323 309 315 947 +83
5 Louisiana-Monroe 308 325 317 950 +86
6 South Alabama 334 321 308 963 +99
7 McLennan CC 330 319 315 964 +100
8 Central Arkansas 332 321 316 969 +105
9 TX A&M Corpus-Christi 334 320 317 971 +107
10 McNeese State 337 323 325 985 +121
11 Redlands CC 332 332 322 986 +122
12 Dallas Baptist 348 339 329 1016 +152
13 Stephen F. Austin 343 334 340 1017 +153
14 Centenary 359 347 338 1044 +180
Lamar Individual Scores
1 Julie Aime 80 73 71 224 +8
T-3 Linda Persson 79 75 74 228 +12
T-13 Ashley Thorpe 81 78 78 237 +21
T-41 Stine Pedersen 81 81 85 247 +31
T-46 Lauren Van Gerven 80 82 86 248 +32
T-58 *Jennel Alexander 89 82 83 254 +38
* Competed as an individual
