Oct. 25, 2011
Complete Results
SANTA ROSA, Calif. - Western Washington University's Claire Rachor (Jr., Bellingham) tied for medalist honors and the Vikings won the team title for the second time in three years at the Sonoma State University Women's Golf Invitational which ended Tuesday at the Santa Rosa Golf and Country Club.
It was the third straight tourney title overall for the Vikings, ranked No.8 in the National Golf Coaches Association/NCAA Division II Top 25. They shot a final-round 314 for a 36-hole total of 613 after opening with a seven-over par 299 on Monday, their best round of the season.
WWU won by 11 strokes after heading into the final round with a 17-shot lead. British Columbia finished second in the eight-team field at 624, finishing with a round of 308.
"This is an awesome way to enter our off-season," said WWU coach Bo Stephan (7th year), whose squad completed the fall portion of its schedule. "We played tough against some very good teams."
Rachor, who was two strokes off the pace and in second place after Monday's round, shot 75 for a 148 total. That tied her for first with British Columbia's Kylie Barros, who shot back-to-back 74s.
Rachor was the Sonoma State medalist outright as a freshman in 2009.
The Vikings' Sophie Elstrott (Sr., Eugene, OR/South Eugene), the medalist leader entering Tuesday's play, placed third at 151 (80).
Also finishing among the top 10 for WWU was Alexandria Taylor (Sr., Sammamish/Eastlake), who tied for sixth at 154 (76). Kara Zitzman (Jr., Woodinville/Redmond) tied for 15th at 160 (82) and Anna Bourland (R-Fr., Bainbridge) tied for 22nd at 165 (82).
Prior to the Sonoma State title, the Vikings tied for the WWU Invitational title with Sonoma State, the third straight victory at their own tourney, and won the Saint Martin's Invitational for the second consecutive season.
