Colorado Golf Finishes Fifth At Shanico Invitational

Monday, September 16

Corvallis, Ore.

Colorado

Oregon State Shanico Invitational

September 17, 2002 | Women's Golf

By: Colleen Reilly Krueger, Associate Director

Day 1

CORVALLIS, Ore. - Colorado sophomore Allison Rella shot a 2-over-par 74 at the Trysting Tree Golf Course while classmate Joey Stetser shot a collegiate career best 75 to pace the Buffs to a fourth-place standing 301 after the first round of the Oregon State Shanico Invitational here Monday.

Colorado's first round 301 is the Buffs' best single-round effort since carding a 297 in the first round of last September's Pioneer Highlands Ranch Invitational and puts the Buffs behind tournament-leading UCLA (291), California (297) and host Oregon State (298). Idaho's Nicole Keller and Cal's Vikki Laing lead the individual standings as both turned in a 2-under-par 70 scorecar.d

"I'm not surprised because I knew that this is what this team was capable of doing", said head coach Anne Kelly. "We were finally able to put together a low fourth score," she said of Jolene Fellhauer and Maria Persson-Gulda's 76 after today's round.

Today marked the first time in the program's nine-year history that all five tournament players turned in a sub-80 round. "This is a team that is just beginning to showcase their experience," complimented Kelly.

Rella's 74 puts her in a six-way share of 11th place while Stester is in a 10-way tie for 17th. Fellhauer wasted no time erasing last week's first-round 87 at the Ptarmigan Ram Fall Classic and carded a 4-over-par 36-40-76 on the 6,160 yard course today for a split 27th, a first-round standing that she shares with newcomer Persson-Gulda (37-39-76).

Senior Erin Kerr finished in·unfamiliar territory, out of scoring position and in a tie for 48th with a 38-41-79 effort. Today's round marks just the third in Kerr's collegiate career at the foot of the Flatirons that hers hasn't counted towards the team score.

Play resumes Tuesday morning with a shotgun start.

Day 2

CORVALLIS, Ore. - Colorado sophomore Allison Rella shot a second and third round 72-75 and combined with a first round 74 carded a team and career-low 221 for a three-way share of fifth place, her best career finish, at the Oregon State Shanico Invitational here Tuesday.

Rella's 221 was her best 54-hole tournament effort and was the lone Buff to turn in all ?Os over the three rounds. As a team, Colorado shot a 301, season-best 297 and final round 318 for a total 916 which gave the Buffs sole possession of fifth place in the final team standings, their best team finish since a runner-up effort at their own Heather Farr Memorial Tournament last fall and lowest team score since an 895 in last year's season opener.

Trailing UCLA after Monday's first round, Cal turned in 288-299 second and third rounds to pull ahead of the Bruins (893) with an 884, nine strokes ahead of their PAC 10 foe. Host Oregon State (298-298-297-893) snagged a share of second place and finished ahead of Oregon's 911. Idaho's Nicole Kelly held on to the lead from first drive to last putt and was today's medalist with a 54-hole scorecard that read 70-71-73-214,

"I'm very, very happy with our first and second rounds, and happy in general that we had such a great effort," said head coach Anne Kelly. "It proved that we can play with the top teams in the country."

A typical Oregon day showered today's third round play, resulting in some higher scores, including the Buffs' 318 compared to Monday's 301 and 297.

"We're wet," added Kelly. "But we've got to be tougher in bad weather. Today a 77/78 was a good score, so for Alli to turn in a 75 was extremely impressive."

"I had heard some bad news before leaving Boulder and I kept it in my head," said Allison Rella of her focus in this week's tournament. I only hit six or seven greens, so I took what I had and I didn't give up. My short game was amazing in this tournament."

Following a first round 79, senior Erin Kerr carded a 1-under-par 71 second round and obviously struggled with the conditions during the third with an 80. Her 230 total gave her part of an eight-way share of 26th place. Coincidentally, one of the eight was teammate Jolene Fellhauer (76-74-80-230).

Joey Stetser rounded out Colorado's scoring and her 75-80-84-239 dropped her from 17th after the first round to a tie for 60th after the third. Newcomer Maria Persson-Gulda also fell victim to the weather and carded a 76-81-83-240 for a share of 65th.

The Buffs have less than a week to regroup and will play at Denver's Pioneer Highlands Ranch Invitational, Sept. 23-24 in Denver.

Oregon State/Shanico Invitational (Corvallis, Ore.)

1. California	297-288-299-	884
2. UCLA	291-296-306-	893
2. Oregon State	298-298-297-	893
4. Oregon	308-300-303-	911
5. COLORADO	301-297-318-	916
6. San Jose State	302-305-310-	917
7. San Francisco	313-297-308-	918
8. UC-Irvine	303-312-311-	926
9. BYU	309-309-309-	927
10. Washington State	307-311-315-	933
11. Portland State	310-311-314-	935
11. Idaho	313-310-312-	935
13. Weber State	317-308-316-	941
14. Long Beach State	319-303-320-	942
15. Boise State	306-314-325-	945
16. Eastern Washington	321-309-317-	947
17. Charleston	308-310-334-	952
18. Hawai'I	315-323-336-	974
COLORADO PLAYERS
t-5. Allison Rella	74-72-75-	221
t-26. Jolene Fellhauer	76-74-80-	230
t-26. Erin Kerr	79-71-80-	230
t-60. Joey Stetser	75-80-84-	239
t-65. Maria Persson-Guida	76-81-83-	240