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DI Women's Golf Championships: Defending champion Stanford to face Washington in finals
Stanford will be looking to repeat as national champions tomorrow <br>(Photo Courtesy of Stanford athletics)</br>
Stanford will be looking to repeat as national champions tomorrow
(Photo Courtesy of Stanford athletics)


EUGENE, OR (May 24, 2016) - Stanford has advanced to the Division I Women's Golf Championships for the second consecutive year and they will have a chance to repeat as champions on Wednesday. The Cardinals will square off against Washington shortly after 2:00 p.m. PT at Eugene Country Club to determine the national champion. Television coverage of the national title match will begin at 3:00 p.m. PT on the Golf Channel.

In the semifinals No. 2 Stanford defeated No. 6 Duke 3-2. Stanford took control of the match early on with wins from Mariah Stackhouse and Sierra Kersten. With Duke leading two out of the other three matches, Casey Danielson birdied the par 5 17th hole to go one up on her opponent Leona Maguire. Danielson found the green on the 18th and calmly two putted to push the Cardinals ahead.

Duke's Virginia Elena Carta did provide a point for the Blue Devils in the anchor match but it was to little to late from the NCAA individual champion.

In the finals Stanford will be facing No. 4 Washington, who won the match of the day against top- seed UCLA. The score may look deceiving at 3-1-1 but every match went to at least the 17th hole.

Washington's Julianne Alvarez and Wenyung Keh both won 1 up matches to get the Huskies on the board with a 2-0 advantage. Alvarez never trailed in her match, although much of the match was played at all- square or 1 up.

Easily the best match of the tournament thus far was between Washington freshman Sarah Rhee and UCLA's Louise Ridderström. Ridderström was three up with three to go when Rhee birdied holes 16 and 17 and then squared the match with a par on the 18th to force extra holes.

On the playoff hole, Ridderström was in good position after her approach landed just beyond the pin. Rhee found herself in the greenside bunker facing a lengthy bunker shot which coincidentally she made up and down from earlier in the match. Miraculously, Rhee's bunker shot took one hop and glided in the back of the hole for birdie. It was enough to win the match as Rhee was the third freshman to win a point and put Washington into the finals.

"I was thinking I had nothing to lose and I threw everything I had into the final three holes which got me into the playoff," Rhee told Golf Channel. "From there it was just magic."

Rhee looks to continue her magic as she takes on Mariah Stackhouse who knows a few things about clutch shots, having clinched the title for the Cardinals last year.


CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH PAIRINGS

Shannon Aubert (Stan) vs. Charlotte Thomas (Wash)
Casey Danielson (Stan) vs. Ying Luo (Wash)
Mariah Stackhouse (Stan) vs. Sarah Rhee (Wash)
Sierra Kersten (Stan) vs. Wenyung Keh (Wash)
Lauren Kim (Stan) vs. Julianne Alvarez (Wash)

QUARTERFINAL MATCHES

With the exception of one match the quarterfinals went as scripted. The only exception was No. 6 Duke defeating No. 3 USC 4-1. Duke picked up wins from Sandy Choi, Gurbani Singh, yesterday's medalist winner Virginia Elena Carta and Celine Boutier.

The closest match of the quarterfinal session was between two-seed and defending national champions Stanford and seven-seed South Carolina. Gamecocks Katelyn Dambaugh put the first point of the match on the board and Ainhoa Olarra made it 2-1 South Carolina, Stanford would respond winning the final two matches.

Mariah Stackhouse evened the match for Stanford and then Laruen Kim provided the swing point. The first Stanford point was produced by Casey Danielson.

Top-seeded UCLA was the only team to not lose a match in the quarterfinals defeating eight-seed Oregon, playing on their home course 4-0-1. Bruins winners included Bethany Wu, Louise Ridderström, Lilia Vu and Bronte Law.

The final team to advance to the semifinals was No. 4 Washington, after they bested No. 5 Virginia 3-1-1. Washington received point earning play from Julianne Alvarez, Wenyung Keh and Charlotte Thomas.

Ying Luo received a halve after finishing all- square with Virginia's Elizabeth Szokol.

Results: NCAA Division I Women's Championship
1ItalyVirginia Elena CartaItaly150069-68-66-69=272
T2CAHaley MooreEscondido, CA100068-70-74-68=280
T2NetherlandsDewi WeberNetherlands100069-66-74-71=280
T4TXCheyenne KnightAledo, TX70069-69-71-73=282
T4FLAnna NewellTampa, FL70069-67-75-71=282

View full results for NCAA Division I Women's Championship

ABOUT THE NCAA Division I Women's Championship

30 teams and 6 individuals not on a qualifying team make up the field for the championship of NCAA Division I women's golf.

After 72 holes of stroke play, the individual champion is crowned, and the low 8 teams advance to match play to determine the team champion.

View Complete Tournament Information

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