Today is Sunday, July 28, 2024
By Angela Kelm
Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
Reedsburg, Wis. — The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women’s golf team captured its sixth consecutive Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title after defeating UW-La Crosse in a one-hole playoff. The Warhawks receive the league’s automatic bid into the NCAA Division III Championships.
With a 30-stroke margin separating the top two teams from the rest of the field, the battle for the title was solely in the hands of UW-W and UW-La Crosse Sunday. UW-Whitewater erased a five-stroke deficit after the first round to take a two-stroke lead into the final day of competition at the Reedsburg Golf Course. The Warhawks traded the lead throughout the final round with UW-Whitewater coming in with their best round of the tournament, 314. The Eagles carded the best round of any team in the competition, a 312, to bring the three-day total for both squads to 971 forcing a playoff.
In front of a fantastic gallery cheering on both squads, Madi LaPaz (Oconomowoc, Wis./Oconomowoc) opened the playoff hole with a par. Kallie Lux (Janesville, Wis./Craig) and Lily Sheppard (Sherwood, Wis./Kaukauna) were up next for UW-W. Lux sunk a great putt for par while Sheppard carded a bogey. Elizabeth Johnson (Johnsburg, Ill./Johnsburg) and Ashton Sinak (St. Louis, Mo./Visitation Academy) also posted bogeys on the hole to put the pressure on the Eagles. The final two UW-La Crosse golfers had to hit their putts to force a second playoff hole. The Warhawks watched on as the putts didn’t fall securing UW-Whitewater’s sixth consecutive and eighth overall WIAC team title in program history.
Sinak shot the best round of any golfer in the entire tournament, carding a 72 Sunday, the fifth-best round in championship history. She finished as the runner-up with a 54-hole total of 234 (77-85-72). Johnson finished sixth with a total of 241 (79-80-82) followed by Lux’s 244 (85-82-77) for a share of seventh. Sheppard finished 14th with a three-day total of 253 (89-81-83). LaPaz posted her best round Sunday with an 83 for a 54-hole total of 257 to tie for 23rd.
Grace Westerman (Oconomowoc, Wis./Oconomowoc) was the top finishing Warhawk competing individually. Carding rounds of 79-90-79, Westerman tied for 11th. Teammates Haley Myers (Somerset, Wis./Somerset) and Abbie Reiser (Washington, Ill./Washington Community) tied for 15th, each finishing with a three-day total of 254. Jennifer Berardi (Highland Park, Ill./Highland Park) and Emma Norton (Lanark, Ill./Eastland) posted rounds of 86 and 85 respectively to finish with a 258 to tie for 25th. Lauren Winter’s (Johnsburg, Ill./Johnsburg) 54-hole total was 261 to tie for 29th. Jessica LaBerge (Bonduel, Wis./Bonduel), UW-Whitewater’s representative on the All-Sportsmanship Team, finishing among the top 50 with a total of 274.
The Eagles finished second followed by UW-Stout (1002), UW-Eau Claire (1023), UW-Stevens Point (1033), UW-River Falls (1043), UW-Platteville (1051), and UW-Oshkosh (1067). UW-Eau Claire’s Lexi Meade won the individual title by one stroke with a total of 233.
The Warhawks earned the league’s automatic bid into the NCAA Division III Championship slated for May 9-12, 2023, at Mission Inn Resort in Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida.
Emilia Houwers advanced to the WIAA State Tournament next week with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Rachel Winters of Lodi High School in the opening match of the Edgewood Sectional on Thursday, October 6.
Information Submitted by Greg Stewart
The Whitewater volleyball program traveled to East Troy for their last conference game on Thursday, October 6. The JV1 and JV2 teams continued their solid efforts as they fought hard against the Trojans. The teams will finish their seasons this Thursday against Johnson Creek at our Dig Pink home finish.
The Whippet Varsity squad (8-1 conference, and 19-6 overall) continued their win streak against East Troy, beating them in four sets, 25-16, 25-15, 20-25, 25-17. And with a little help from Brodhead beating McFarland tonight, we are tied for 1st overall in the conference!
This team is so well deserving of the honor. They have worked so hard, stayed consistent and have a true desire to get better every single day. To finish on the top of the RVC is an accomplishment, and a goal we had, but we are not done yet. We now set our sights on Johnson Creek to end regular season play on Thursday for Dig Pink, and then we will be laser-focused on playoff time!
“I think we are starting to really believe. We can battle with great teams, and we are finding success. Success comes in the grind. When we face adversity, when we have setbacks, we keep grinding and believing; that is success! That is exactly what I love about this team this year. They believe in each other and even in the face of adversity, they still believe. We hope to use this mentality and momentum to take us deep in the playoff battle.”
Statistical leaders on the night included a big blocking night from Junior Aidyn Amundson with 3 blocks, Caleigh Yang with 23 digs and 3 aces, Calli Grosinske with 38 assists and 3 aces, Cali Kopecky with 13 digs, and Kindyl Kilar with 26 kills and 10 digs.
Statistical leaders for East Troy included Jillian Pergande with 16 kills, Julia Aleckson with 32 assists, Olivia Grayse with 2 aces, and Amaya Pluess with 26 digs.
Next up, the Whippets are at home on Thursday (10/13) to host Johnson Creek for our annual Dig Pink event. We will honor our Manager Cristal Verduzco’s late mother who lost her battle to breast cancer this past September. We also hope to honor all those who have fought, who have won, and who are currently fighting cancer. Let’s pack the gym to dig for a cure!
Article Submitted by Mary Kilar
Whitewater High School Head Volleyball Coach
mkilar@wwusd.org
Photo Courtesy of Bob Mischka
A cold night brought another rough loss for the Whippet soccer team on Thursday night, October 6. A Whitewater squad that was missing five starters due to many different factors faced a well-disciplined Delavan-Darien squad.
The Comets were able to move the ball with ease and dominated much of the first half. In resilient fashion, the Whippets put on a much better second half display. With tireless defending from Emerson Ellenwood and Emmanuel Mbifi and great midfield pressure from Ethan Dougan and Chris Cortez, Whitewater only allowed two second half goals.
The Whippets can now look forward to the “RVC Tournament” next week against Big Foot.
Article Submitted by Sam Burns
Whitewater High School Assistant Varsity Soccer Coach
dburns@wwusd.org
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