PANTHER BEAT: Verwey posts Top-10 finish, Lorentzen 13th; Panthers 21st at NCAA Regional

Courtesy: Cavan Fosnes/GSU Sports Communications

The nationally 44th-ranked Georgia State women’s golf team finished 21st, posting a final round 317 (+29) and a three-round total of 917 (+53), at the 2010 NCAA East Regional on the par-72, 6,321 yard Ironwood Country Club in Greenville, N.C. Saturday.

Decimated by injury, the Panthers fell from a tie for 10th to a tie for 16th on Friday, and Saturday turned their attention toward the potential individual NCAA Championship berths of junior Iliska Verwey and sophomore Charlotte Lorentzen.

Verwey finished the tournament in a tie for ninth, three shots away from qualifying for the NCAA Championship. Lorentzen fell one shot behind Verwey, missing qualification by four shots.

The pair posted the second and third best NCAA Regional finishes in school history, behind Joanna Klatten’s fifth place effort in 2006. The finishes of ninth and 13th also set, by a wide margin, a school-record for the best two finishes in the same regional. Georgia State’s previous best showings were finishes of fifth and 29th in 2006 and 17th and 27th in 2008.

Verwey posted a final round 75 (+3) to total a 216 (E), setting a school record for lowest three-round total at an NCAA Regional. Klatten’s 220 (+4) was the previous best.

Lorentzen carded a final round 73 (+1) to make up ground, moving from 21st to a tie for 13th on the final day, one shot behind Verwey. Lorentzen adds another top-20 at an NCAA Regional, giving her two for her career, the most-ever for a Georgia State golfer.

"I’m pretty disappointed in our performance," said Georgia State head coach Cathy Mant. I feel sad for our seniors that things didn’t go better, that we couldn’t get them to a national championship."

"Charlotte and Iliska had a chance, but just didn’t quite have it today. Conditions made things a little more difficult and they had to make some birdies to catch some people. [Sandra Maier] hung in there with her arm. I thought it was a courageous effort by her to keep going for the team. I’m proud of everybody and our program, and now we’ll just start thinking about next year."

Lorentzen and Verwey were chasing Rosalyn Kim of Texas Tech and Nina Muehl of East Tennessee State. Kim’s Red Raiders failed to qualify as a team by seven shots, finishing tied for ninth and giving her the first individual berth with a tie for third at 212 (-4).

Muehl rode a tournament-low 64 (-8) on the first day to her individual berth. ETSU finished 15th, but her tie for fourth at 213 (-3) proved to be enough to advance alone.

A pair of seniors finished their Georgia State career’s with difficult rounds. Senior Cathrine Madsen finished her tournament with an 82 (+10) giving her a share of 101st place. Senior Sandra Maier carded an 87 (+15) while battling severe tendinitis in her left arm to finish tied for 116th and allow the Panthers to post a score.

Freshman Ellie Robinson was once again forced to withdraw due to a cyst on her wrist, which forced her to withdraw after four holes on Friday.

Though the finish was disappointing, Georgia State’s 917 (+53) marks the lowest three-round total at an NCAA Regional ever posted by the Panthers, bettering a 919s at the 2006 West Regional (+55) and the 2003 East Regional (+43).

The Panthers finish the 2009-10 season with a record of 112-64, another Colonial Athletic Association championship, and a third-straight NCAA Regional berth.

T9. Iliska Verwey 70-71-75–216 (E)
T13. Charlotte Lorentzen 70-74-73–217 (+1)
T101. Cathrine Madsen 73-80-82–235 (+19)
T116. Sandra Maier 81-85-87–253 (+37)
122. Ellie Robinson 77-WD-WD

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