Then-junior golfer Laura Kueny putts during last year’s Mary Fossum Invitational at Forest Akers West Golf Course. Kueny and the Spartans will compete in this weekend’s Lady Gator Invitational in Gainesville, Fla.
A shot at the Big Ten Championship, several key tournament finishes and an exciting end to one of the most successful seasons in school history are all on the line during the next three weeks for the No. 14 MSU women’s golf team.
The Spartans’ focus is on putting it all together during their three-matches-in-three-weeks stretch to reach the full potential of a team that’s been ranked in the top 20 most of the season.
That task begins at this weekend’s Lady Gator Invitational in Gainesville, Fla.
“We’re getting ready to play our best golf of the season now,” junior Aimee Neff said.
“We’ve shown the capability, but haven’t put it all together. We’re just keeping a positive attitude and positive outlook.”
After competing in three matches so far this semester, the Spartans will equal that amount between now and April 25, as they prepare for a slate of Big Ten foes in the Lady Buckeye Invitational on April 17 and 18.
The following weekend, the Spartans compete in the Big Ten Championships from April 23-25.
Despite the increased workload, head coach Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll said she isn’t concerned about time off affecting the team’s performance during the next three weeks because the sport lends itself to long breaks between matches.
Two of the Spartans’ primary goals at the beginning of the season were to vie for a Big Ten title and reach the NCAA Championships. With one month remaining
before NCAA Regionals, both of those still are distinct possibilities as the Spartans finished 10th at the NCAA Preview in October and currently are the second highest-ranked Big Ten team.
The Spartans have shown balance among their top five golfers and still are trying to sort out who will fill their lineup.
Senior Laura Kueny leads the team with eight sub-par rounds and a 73.9 scoring average, but several other players have contributed this season.
Freshman Caroline Powers has a scoring average of 75.5, while sophomore Lindsey Solberg is averaging 75.9 per round.
MSU hopes all of its top performers will be on their games in the coming weeks.
“This is a very confident group of young women,” Slobodnik-Stoll said.
“We had Easter off to be with friends and family … We’ve had wonderful weather, and the course is in good shape.”
Short game
After noticing room for improvement in their short game during the past few weeks, the Spartans’ first order of business has been tightening up that part of their game.
MSU has been working on chipping and making smart shots to lower its scores just enough to boost the overall performance.
“A lot of it is being consistent,” Neff said. “Avoiding big mistakes can save two or three strokes. It’s about fine-tuning and paying attention to details.”
After playing a tough schedule in recent weeks, the Spartans are preparing for this weekend’s competition with the expectation to win.
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The Spartans finished seventh and fourth in the Liz Murphy Invitational and Central District Invitational, respectively, against loaded fields in their last two meets and believe this practice will pay off.
“The little things make a difference,” Solberg said. “Short game skills, course management and smart shots will all make a difference.”
