Lewis closes with 71, Griz finish 6th

Sophomore Katie Lewis closed the UNC Bear Brawl with a 71 on Tuesday to match her best collegiate round as the 54-hole tournament wrapped up at the Greeley Country Club in Colorado.

Freshman Zoe Bar-Or (73-75-80) led the Grizzlies with a 15th-place finish. Montana shot team scores of 311, 310 and 314 to finish sixth out of six teams at the fall-opening event.

"We had some really good stretches out of everybody," said coach Jimmy Mee. "I expected some first-tournament jitters, which always happens."

Lewis (83-78-71) tied for 22nd, Kate Bogenschutz (76-78-80) finished 25th, Hope Torres (79-79-83) placed 30th and Bella Johnson (84-81-84) came in 34th in the 35-golfer field.

"We need to work on some situational course management, reading lies, getting better when we're a little bit out of position and not turning it into doubles and triples," said Mee.

"When we do get a little bit out, getting ourselves back into position and not letting that compound on the hole and compound over multiple holes."

Lewis was 4-over through her first nine holes on Tuesday before finishing with three birdies and an eagle over her final nine.

She ended the tournament carding an eagle 3 on the 508-yard par-5 15th, pitching in from 20 yards out.

Lewis shot an even-par 71 in April on the final day of the Big Sky Conference Championship, giving her a 71 in two of her last four collegiate rounds played.

"Today was just normal Katie things. She did what she normally does," said Mee.

"Monday was kind of deer-in-the-headlights as opposed to today and realizing you don't have to be perfect. Just hit it, follow it and hit it again, and it usually ends up all right."

St. Thomas (285-295-288) ran away with the team title, finishing 16 strokes clear of Texas-Rio Grande Valley (297-290-297) and host Northern Colorado (292-300-292).

Montana began the day in fifth place but Southern Illinois moved past the Grizzlies with a final-round 298.

St. Thomas's Kathryn VanArragon (70-71-68) finished 4-under and five strokes ahead of Northern Colorado's Liv Salonek (75-69-70).

Montana will next compete at the Yellowstone Intercollegiate on Monday and Tuesday, Sept. 21 and 22, at the Riverside Country Club in Bozeman.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Zoe Bar-Or

Kate Bogenschutz

Bella Johnson

Katie Lewis

Hope Torres

University of Montana Athletics