Bobcats swing into fall season

The Ohio women’s golf team kicks off its fall season Saturday at the Michigan Wolverine Invitational, a tournament the team won last season.

Ohio coach Ann Slater said she is looking forward to seeing how the team will respond to being defending champion at the invitational.

"I feel the team is confident in its ability to go into this tournament and fight for the lead," she said. "We have two freshmen traveling with us this year, and their ability to adapt will be key for us."

Ohio is led by returning players Julee Sovesky and Candace Artz. Sovesky was named first-team All-Mid-American Conference last season after taking a fifth-place finish in the conference championships.

"Candace and Julee are our two key leaders on the team," Slater said. "They have a lot of college and tournament experience. We need them to make an impact by encouraging and supporting our young players and bring them up to their level."

In last year’s Wolverine Invitational the Bobcats ended the 54-hole tournament in a tie with conference rival Kent State. Ohio seized the title by winning a one-hole playoff with the Golden Flashes.

The Wolverine Invitational takes place at the University of Michigan Golf Course in Ann Arbor, Mich. There will be 11 teams participating in the tournament. The list of participants includes Arkansas-Little Rock, Baylor, Bowling Green, Cincinnati, Eastern Michigan, Grand Valley State, Michigan, Toledo, Western Michigan and Xavier.

The teams play 36 holes Saturday and the final 18 Sunday. Six players will play for each team, with the lowest four scores in each round counting.

– Ryan Ernst