Griz open Match Play Challenge with 4-1 win

Friday, October 4

Missoula Country Club<br>Missoula, Mont.

9 AM

Montana

Griz Match Play Challenge

10/4/2019 7:28:00 PM | Golf

Results

By: Montana Sports Information

Montana finished 29 strokes behind Montana State at the Battle at Old Works last month, 20 behind the Bobcats at the Rose City Collegiate earlier this week.

But Griz coach Kris Nord has been saying since he scheduled this week's home tournament with the unique format that match play is a much different version of the sport than stroke play.

Montana showed how well-suited it is to head-to-head competition by knocking off Montana State on Friday morning at the Missoula Country Club, defeating the Bobcats 4-1 on the opening day of the Griz Match Play Challenge.

"It's a different pressure. You're not worrying about your score. You're trying to beat an opponent and play smart hole by hole. I thought our kids did a great job of that today," Nord said.

Montana will face Eastern Washington on Saturday morning at 9 a.m. The Eagles swept Idaho State on Friday 5-0. The Bengals and Bobcats will also match up on Saturday morning.

Brooklyn Van Bebber dropped her match at No. 1 to Montana State's Kelly Hooper 7-and-5, but Montana would take the other four scoring matches.

Two-up at the turn, Kylie Esh held on for a 3-and-2 win. Allison Sobol and Jessica Ponce were both all square in their matchups when they teed off on No. 10.

Both used a strong back nine to pull away for victories. Sobol won 3-and-2, Ponce 4-and-3.

"I loved the way we competed. When it got close, all the kids picked it up and closed it out and won their matches," added Nord. "It was good to see them hang on with that pressure."

The outcome had already been decided when Faith D'Ortenzio walked off the 18 green all square with Lucia Prieto Romano. But she hadn't spent three and a half hours on the course to settle for a draw.

Replaying No. 10, she executed the playoff hole flawlessly to give the Grizzlies their fourth point.

"With this format, you either win or you lose, and I don't want to lose," she said. "I think match play really fits our team and the dynamic of our team.

"I like how it's more competitive and you're on it, all the time. We're just really competitive people and we're clutch. We'll find a way to make birdies and win."

In head-to-head matches that didn't count toward the team score against MSU, Montana went 1-1-1. Teigan Avery won 4-and-3, Tricia Joyce played to all-square, and Margaret Harmon dropped a 2-and-1 decision.

As expected, Eastern Washington handled Idaho State in Friday's other match.

Now Montana will get a shot against the Eagles, the team that was 43 strokes better than the Grizzlies at Old Works, 37 in front at the Rose City Collegiate on Monday and Tuesday.

But that was stroke play.

"Eastern is really good. Along with Idaho, they've been the dominant northern Big Sky teams the last few years," said Nord. "It's a good challenge for our kids to have to go out and play well."