LECANTO, Fla. – Facing low temperatures and strong winds, the FGCU women's golf team finished seventh with a total team score of 636 at the Florida Challenge on Monday.
 
With rounds of 321 and 315, the Eagles finished ahead of ASUN foes Jacksonville and North Florida and just four shots behind ASUN member Stetson, who took sixth place in the tournament.
 
#8 Florida took home the tournament crown with a team score of 582 thanks to a minus-seven second round score. #4 Florida State and #14 Miami filled the second and third positions while #20 UCF and FIU rounded out the top-five.
 
"Conditions were tough today," said head coach Sarah Trew. "Black Diamond Ranch is a great facility with challenging greens that tested all of the teams today.
 
"Madeline (Marck-Sherk) and Kelsy (Holbert) both had really solid first rounds, but as a team, a few holes really cost us. We bounced back by playing smarter in round two. Madeline continued to play consistently, and both Megan (Blonien) and Kate (Williamson) were able to settle into a rhythm and post some better scores. Overall, this event was a great learning experience for us. Now we know what we need to key in on to prepare for our next event."
 
In the field of 70 golfers, Marck-Sherk (Ridgeway, Ontario/Ridgeway Crystal Beach HS) tied for 26th with a team-low 156 after back-to-back rounds of 78. The Canadian sophomore finished strong for the Eagles with an even 36 on the backend of the second round.
 
Fellow sophomore Holbert (Lutz, Fla./Steinbrenner HS) also recorded a top-30 finish. Her first round of 77 was the lowest of the day for FGCU.
 
Williamson (Deerfield Beach, Fla./Archbishop McCarthy HS) and Blonien (Altus, Okla./Altus HS) both struggled in the first round, but made up for it with scores of 78 in Round 2. They finished with totals of 160 and 162.
 
Madison Easterbrook (Burlington, Ontario/Aldershot HS) rounded out the team score for FGCU, carding rounds of 84 and 86 for a total of 170.
 
Competing as individuals, Ailsa Clark (Navarre, Fla./Navarre HS) and Jean Tyrrell (Leawood, Kan./Blue Valley North HS) finished with scores of 165 and 172 respectively.
 
FGCU LINEUP (*star indicates participating as an individual)
T26) Madeline Marck-Sherk: 78+78 = 156 (+12)
T30) Kelsy Holbert: 77+81 = 158 (+14)
T39) Kate Williamson: 82+78 = 160 (+16)
T49) Megan Blonien: 84+78 = 162 (+18)
T53) Ailsa Clark:  81+84 = 165 (+21)*
67) Madison Easterbrook: 84+86 = 170 (+26)
T68) Jean Tyrrell: 85+87 = 172 (+28)*
 
COMPLETE FIELD (Golf Stat Rankings as of 11/15/2016)
1) 8 Florida: 301+281 = 582 (+6)
2) 4 Florida State: 302+292 = 594 (+18)
3) 14 Miami: 301+301 = 602 (+26)
4) 20 UCF: 311+294 = 605 (+29)
5) 79 FIU: 323+308 = 631 (+55)
6) 167 Stetson: 312+320 = 632 (+56)
7) 150 FGCU: 321+315 = 636 (+60)
8) Seminole State: 325+314 = 639 (+63)
9) 162 USF: 323+318 = 641 (+65)
10) 121 UNF: 320+323 = 643 (+67)
11) 112 Jacksonville: 325+319 = 644 (+68)
 
COACH TREW
Head coach Sarah Trew recently is currently in her 6th season at the helm of the FGCU women's golf team after being named Atlantic Sun Coach of the Year in 2016. Trew took over in 2011 and has since guided the Eagles to the program's best-ever finish in the ASUN Tournament and to 20+ top-10 finishes. A year ago, Trew led the team to several records on and off the course. The 2013-14 squad set a new single-season scoring record with a team average of 307.88, while also setting a new benchmark academically. The spring of 2015 saw the Eagles again take third place at the A-Sun Championship, and recording their best team score of the season while 2016 again set a new standard. The 2015-16 squad recorded a new program best with a 305.29 average and took a second-place finish at the conference tournament. In that event, the Eagles carded a team score of 290 to set the program's new record and earned the top finish in program history.
 
FOLLOW ALONG
For up-to-the minute information and a behind-the-scenes look at the FGCU women's golf program, follow on Twitter at @FGCU_WGolf and on Facebook at /FGCUWGolf.