RANCHO SANTA FE, Calif. – The Vanderbilt women’s golf team advanced to the championship finals at the Lamkin Invitational with a convincing win over Sacramento State on Tuesday at The Farms Golf Club just north of San Diego.
The No. 6 Commodores will face a talented California squad in the match-play finals on Wednesday.
Vanderbilt will be seeking its fourth win of the 2018-19 season when they face the Bears, who advanced to the finals by downing host San Diego State. A victory would match the 2013-14 win total as the most during Greg Allen’s stellar 12-year tenure on West End.
The Commodores were impressive in handing Sacramento State a 4-0-1 loss. Through two match-play rounds at the Lamkin event, Vanderbilt owns a 9-0-1 record.
Afterward, Allen was pleased with his team’s semifinal performance.
“I thought the girls did a great job today against a team we didn’t know very well,” Allen said. “We were a little more comfortable with the course today and hit some great shots and made more birdies.
“We’re having a lot of fun with this format and excited about the chance to play Cal tomorrow,” the head coach added.
For the second straight day, Morgan Baxendale gave the Commodores an early 1-0 lead with a decisive 4&3 triumph over Sacramento State’s Corinne Viden. Baxendale’s consistency through the round – a birdie and 12 pars to go with a pair of bogeys – wore down Viden, who played 15 holes in 5-over par.
Auston Kim virtually mirrored Baxendale performance in a 3&2 victory over Sofie Babic. Like Baxendale, Kim’s consistency kept the pressure on Smith throughout the match.
Louise Yu gave the Commodores a big lift in securing the clinching point. After falling 2-down through five holes, Yu battled back with three birdies over an eight-hole stretch to register an impressive 3&2 win over Sydney Smith. Yu also capped the match with birdies on two of her last three holes.
Courtney Zeng continued her superb form, posting four birdies against a lone bogey to claim a close 2&1 victory over Sacramento State’s Julia Becker.
Abbey Carlson closed with three birdies on her final nine holes to square her match with Sacramento State’s Nishtha Madan.
“Courtney was in control all day and is really being a great senior for us right now. Mo (Baxendale) continues to dominate match play. And both Lou (Yu) and Auston stayed patient after falling behind early and came on strong to close out their matches,” Allen said.
California entered the Lamkin Invitational in solid form, notching recent back-to-back runner-up team finishes in the UC-Davis Gunrock Classic and Juli Inkster Invitational, both staged near Berkeley in Northern California.
Lamkin Invitational
The Farms Golf Club, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.
3rd Round Championship Bracket
(match play results)
Team score
Vanderbilt defeats Sacramento State, 4-0-1
Individual scores
M. Baxendale (VU) defeats C. Viden (Sac State), 4&3
A. Kim (VU) defeats S. Babic (Sac State), 3&2
L. Yu (VU) defeats S. Smith (Sac State), 3&2
C. Zeng (VU) defeats J. Becker (Sac State), 2&1
A. Carlson (VU)-N. Madan (Sac State), all square
