Alabama
SEC Women's Golf Championship
Alabama Clinches No. 2 Match Play Seed at SEC Women’s Golf Championships
4/20/2018 5:53:00 PM | Women's Golf
Six-under par final round sets up Saturday quarterfinal match-up with Vanderbilt
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Alabama Crimson Tide rebounded from a tough second round on Thursday to post a 6-under par final stroke play round on Friday and clinch the No. 2 seed heading into match play at the Southeastern Conference Women's Golf Championships.
Alabama will meet No. 7 seed Vanderbilt in the quarterfinals on Saturday morning at the par-72, 6,253-yard Greystone Golf and Country Club Legends Course in Birmingham, Ala.
The Tide (286-304-282/872) finished stroke play at 8-over par, five shots behind first-place South Carolina (291-291-282/867), which finished at 3-over par. Arkansas (299-293-283/875) finished third at 11-over par. Georgia (306-290-299/895) finished fourth at 31-over par while Auburn (306-301-289/896) and Florida (298-301-297/896) tied for fifth at 32-over par. Vanderbilt (296-306-297/899) and Missouri (304-308-295/907) finished 35- and 43-over par, respectively, to clinch the final two match play spots.
"It was a little bit better today," Alabama head coach Mic Potter said. "I don't know about momentum (heading into stroke play) I think we have a really good team and I think that if each of our women play the way they're capable of playing, we'll be a factor in match play."
Sophomore Kristen Gillman (69-75-70/214) and juniors Cheyenne Knight (71-75-70/216) and Lauren Stephenson (72-76-70/218) were Alabama's low scorers on Friday with 2-under par rounds. Gillman completed stroke play at 2-under par to finish in third place as one of only three women in the field to come in under par for 54 holes. Knight tied for fourth place at even par while Stephenson tied for ninth at 2-over par.
Senior Lakareber Abe (74-78-75/227) finished 26th at 11-over par and freshman Angelica Moresco (77-80-72/157) tied for 31st at 13-over par.
"I don't think we really try to change anything tomorrow," Potter added. "We just need to continue to play great golf, hit smart, intelligent shots and know when to be aggressive and when not to be aggressive."
Saturday's quarterfinal pairings will be No. 1 South Carolina-No. 8 Missouri; No. 4 Georgia-No. 5 Auburn; No. 2 Alabama-No. 7 Vanderbilt and No. 3 Arkansas-No. 6 Florida. Alabama and Vanderbilt will tee off at 7 a.m. CT from the first tee to begin Saturday's play. Quarterfinal winners will meet in the semifinals Saturday afternoon to determine Sunday's championship pairing.
2018 SEC Women's Golf Championships
Greystone Golf & Country Club
Birmingham, Ala.
Host: Southeastern Conference
Alabama Second Round Results
3. Kristen Gillman – 69-75-70/214 (-2)
T-4. Cheyenne Knight – 71-75-70/216 (E)
T-9. Lauren Stephenson – 72-76-70/218 (+2)
26. Lakareber Abe – 74-78-75/227 (+11)
T-31. Angelica Moresco – 77-80-72/229 (+13)
Team Standings
1. South Carolina – 291-291-285/867 (+3)
2. ALABAMA – 286-304-282/872 (+8)
3. Arkansas – 298-293-283/875 (+11)
4. Georgia – 306-290299/895 (+31)
T-5. Auburn – 306-301-289/896 (+32)
T-5. Florida – 298-301-297/896 (+9)
7. Vanderbilt – 296-306-297/899 (+35)
8. Missouri – 304-308-295/907 (+43)
Saturday Quarterfinal Pairings
1st Tee
1 South Carolina vs. 8 Missouri
2 ALABAMA vs. 7 Vanderbilt
10th Tee
3 Arkansas vs. 6 Florida
4 Georgia vs. 5 Auburn
Alabama Quarterfinals Tee Times
7 a.m. CT: Kristen Gillman vs. Virginia Green
7:10 a.m.: Cheyenne Knight vs. Louise Yu
7:20 a.m.: Lauren Stephenson vs. Courtney Zeng
7:30 a.m.: Lakareber Abe vs. Morgan Baxendale
7:40 a.m.: Angelica Moresco vs. Abbey Carlson
Saturday Semifinal Parings
South Carolina-Missouri winner vs. Georgia-Auburn winner
ALABAMA-Vanderbilt winner vs. Arkansas-Florida winner
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