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Leina kicks off RMAC season with victory
Leina Kim opened the 2014 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference season with a victory at the Samuel Proal Insurance Lady Wolf Pack Invitational and in the process helped Colorado State-University-Pueblo to a second place finish in the team competition. (CSU- Pueblo Facebook Page)
The two-time RMAC Preseason Golfer of the Year finished with a 2-over-par 144 for a 9-stroke win over the 153 (78-75) of closest pursuer Nicole Hulbert of Regis University last Tuesday at the Pueblo Country Club.
Wayland Baptist University’s Hannah Duvall (74 and 80) and Melissa VanSistine (80-74) of team champion Lewis College ended up tied for third to fourth spots after shooting a 12-over 154.
Senior Julie Sanchez, Kim’s teammate, came in a strong fifth with a pair of 74 and 81 at 13-over 155.
Kim, according to the ThunderWolves’ official website, opened up with a 3-over 74 on Monday afternoon but bounced back with a 1-under 70 for that 144. She birdied holes No. 3 and 4 in the front, and had a bogey-free round going home firing birdies at holes No. 10, 11, and 14.
Her strong finish helped the Lady ThunderWolves to a joint second place finish in the team event with CSU-Pueblo shooting 324 and 321 for 2-over-par 645, which is the same score of Metro State University. Lewis University won the team title with a 643 tally (325 and 318).
Samantha Geisick ended up tied at 34th (170), Natasha Navarro landed tied for 46th (170), and Megan McCutcheon finished 66th (191) to round up the reigning Division II champion CSU-Pueblo’s scoring.
Kim, the youngest in Shirley and Young Kim’s three children, also won three individual tournaments last season to clinch an NCAA Division II regionals berth last season. She earned her first RMAC Preseason Golfer of the Year award in her rookie season and became the first CSU-Pueblo golfer to earn All-America honors.
She also qualified for the NCAA Division II national championships as an individual where she finished 28th overall with a 20-over-par score after four rounds.
The ThunderWolves resume their bid of a third RMAC crown in four seasons on Monday, Sept. 15, in the RMAC-sponsored tournament hosted by Colorado Christian University. (Jon Perez)
