2017-18 Shocker Women's Golf

[1972Shocker]

The Lady Shocker golf team is playing its opening fall season tournament this weekend at the ORU Lady Maxwell Invitational at Dornick Hills Golf Club in Ardmore, Oklahoma.

The Shocks got of to a relatively poor start on Friday shooting a 30-over 314 to finish 24 shots behind 1st round leader Texas A&M and in a tie for 4th in the 6 team field.

The Shocks rebounded quite nicely on Saturday to record a 8-over 292 which was the best round of the day 6 strokes better than Texas A&M. That moved them up to 3rd place still 18 shots behind Texas A&M and 7 shots behind Sam Houston State.

The final round will be played today. They have a shot at Sam Houston if they can duplicate the Round 2 effort but I don't see them making up the deficit on Texas A&M (that would require an extra good effort by the Shocks and a bad day by the Aggies).

Shocker Sr. Taryn Torgerson, who isn't exactly petite, is leading the way for the Shocks after shooting a 76 in round 1 and the giving her best Craig Stadler impersonation with a stellar 67 in round 2. All 7 of the Shocks playing in this tournament (2 as individuals) improved their scores in round 2. Taryn is tied for 2nd in the medalist race 2 shots behind the leader.

Seems like consistency of play from round-to- round is a issue the Shockers have struggled with in the past and that is something they need to work for to be competitive in AAC.

[1972Shocker]

I suggested in my previous post that if the Shocks could duplicate in round 3 their 8-over 292 score that they recorded in round 2 that they had a shot of catch Sam Houston State an moving into 2nd pace. Well the Shocks apparently got the memo because that is exactly what they did matching yesterday's 292 and moving past Sam Houston State by 2 strokes to finish 2nd behind Texas A&M.

Texas A&M actually shot the low team round of the tournament and cruised to an easy 23 stroke win.

Shocker Sr. Taryn Torgerson followed up her 2nd round 67 with a solid even par 71 to finish in 1st place tie for medalist honors at 1 over 214. However, she lost a sudden death playoff for that honor.

Shocker Jr. Laine Evan caught fire in the 3rd round shooting a 2-under 69 after posting and 80 and a 77 in the first 2 rounds. Hopefully, that will build some conidence for her.

Shocker So. Michelle Ledermann, a Bolivian import, playing as an individual also sho a 3rd round 71. Michelle along with Jr. Gavrilla Arya and Laine Evans all finished in a tie for 10th place at 226.

[1972Shocker]

The 2nd Tournament of the fall season was very similar to the 1st Tournament.

The Shocks got off to a slow start with a 26-over par 310 which put them in a 4-way tie for 8th place in the 15-team field. They then rallied a bit in the 2nd and 3rd rounds shooting 294 and 298 to finish alone in 4th place.

Taryn Torgerson again led the Shocks highlighted by her 2nd round 68 which was the low round of the tournament. Taryn finished 2nd in the medalist race for the 2nd week in a row.

Junior Gavrilla Arya withdrew after 2 rounds with an injury.

While the Shocks finished 10 strokes ahead of Missouri State, 20 ahead of Drake and 40 ahead of Creighton they did finish 28 strokes behind tourament winner and fellow AAC member Memphis providing a sign that winning golf championships in the AAC will be a much bigger challenge than winning them in the Valley.

[1972Shocker]

Taryn Torgerson continues to carry the Lady Shocks golf team but they continue to be plagued with slow starts and a big drop off from Taryn to the rest of the team.

http://www.goshockers.com/news/2017/9/26/womens-golf-torgerson-finishes-second-at-oru-shootout.aspx

[1972Shocker]

The Lady Shocks, as has been their tendency this fall, are off to a poor start in the Johnie Imes Invitational hosted by Mizzou in Columbia. The Shocks were dead last in the 14 team field most of the day but rallied just a little bit late to finish in 12th place at 17-over. Mizzou leads at an even par 288.

The Shocks who started on the 10th hole and finished on the 9th hole had only 2 birdies on their 1st 75 holes but added 4 more over their final 15 holes.

Laine Evans led the way for the Shocks with an even par 72. Taryn Torgerson followed with a 76, Gavrilla Arya shot a 78 and Abbie Shaddix a 79. Taylor BeDell had the throw away score at 16-over 88 which was the worst score of the day overall.

[1972Shocker]

The Shocks improve a bit today at the Johnie Imes Invitational. They played both the 2nd and 3rd rounds today moving the 3rd round up a day due to the weather forecast for a Wednesday. However, the Shocks were unable to play improve their position from Round 1 and finished 12th in the 14 team filed a whopping 49 strokes behind winner and host Mizzou.

The Shocks were handicapped to some extent by only having 4 players as Gavrilla Arya had to withdraw due to injury. She was also forced to withdraw 2 weeks ago. Perhaps an aggravation of that previous injury.

Taryn Torgerson, as is her custom, led the Shocks as she improved from her 76 in round 1 to shoot 69-73 today and moved from a T-33rd to a T-11th. Freshman Taylor BeDell did show a big improvement from her 1st round 88 by shooting 77-73 today. OTOH, Laine Evans went from an even par 72 in round 1 to 80-76.

At this point it would appear the Shocks just don't have much firepower beyond Taryn to expect that they will be a factor in the American Conference next Spring but that remains to be seen.

[1972Shocker]

You may have thought Wichita State was finished with Missouri Valley Conference events when they joined the AAC but they are not quite done yet. The Shocks are hosting the Missouir Valley Conference Fall Preview Women's Golf Tournament at Sand Creek Station in Newton on Monday and Tuesday of this week. This includes the Shocks and all 10 of the current members of the Valley. i'm sure this was scheduled and set before the Shocks joined the AAC.

Rounds 1 and 2 were played on Monday with the Shocks leading Northern Iowa by 11 strokes. The 3rd and final round is being played today.

Shocker Sr. Taryn Torgerson is at the top of the individual leaderboard after shooitng 1 under 143 over her 2 rounds on Monday.

http://www.goshockers.com/news/2017/...in-newton.aspx

Live Scoring: http://results.golfstat.com/public/l...team&tid=14753

[1972Shocker]

The Shocks were unable ot hold on to their 11 stroke lead heading into the final round and Northern Iowa rallied to tie the Shockers at +43. A double bogey by RSr Abbie Shaddix on her last hole proved to be costly although she probably should not have ever been in that position. I don't think there will be a playoff.

Taryn Torgerson did win medalist honors finsihing 73-70-75 = 218 for a 6-stroke margin over her closes competitors.

At least the Shocks didn't get Evansvilled. The Purple Aces finished 107 shots behind the co-leaders at +150.

This finishes up the Lady Shocks' slate of fall tournaments. My assessment is that outside of Taryn Torgerson the Shockers aren't very strong and certainly seem to lack consistency. I don't know much about AAC golf but I doubt that the Shocks will be a factor in the AAC Championship next spring. Memphis was the only AAC team in one of the Shocker fall tournaments which the Lady Tigers won with the Shocks finishing 4th 28 shots back.

While I don't think the Shokcs will be much of a factor in the ACC Tournament next April they should enjoy spending a few days enjoying playing golf in Palm Coast, Florida.

While the Shocks may not be a factor as a team it will be interesting to see how Shocker Sr. Taryn Torgerson will fare against AAC competition. In medalist play this fall Taryn had 1 first place finish, 3 second place finishes (including one playoff loss) and a 12 place finish. The rest of the Shockers just need to keep working on their games and hoping fully they will find a bit more consistency by the time next April rolls around.

[1972Shocker]

Apparently they did have a playoff with all 5 team member playing one hole with the Shockers coming out victorious behind a birdie from Laine Evans.

http://www.goshockers.com/news/2017/10/17/shockers-torgerson-win-fall-preview.aspx

[RoyalShock]

[1972Shocker]

Coach McCurdy signs 2 international players in the Class of 2018. One is Chiara Arya from Jakarta, Indonesia and the younger sister of Shocker Jr Gavrilla Arya. The other is Hana Mirnik from Slovenia.

The Shocks will lose two seniors from this year's squad. Taryn Torgerson from Buhler, KS and Abbi Shaddix from Garden City, KS. Taryn's departure, in particular, will create a big hole to fill and not just because she is a big girl. Taryn will leave WSU as one of its best, if not the best, female golfers in school history.

In any case, welcome to Shocker Nation Chiara and Hana.

[flyingMoose]

After Day Two of the opening tournament (Rio Verde, AZ, Invitational) of the spring season, the Shockers are in fifth with Taryn Torgerson in a tie for second individually. They are three shots out of fourth which would appear to be as far as they could move up. Taryn is one shot out of first, and she is one of five players who are within three shots of the leader.

[1972Shocker]

Much better day for the Shockers team-wise with the Top 4 shooting in the 70's but no room for any of these 4 to falter if our #5 golfer is going to be shooting in the mid-80's.

This Tournament field certainly has a mid-major mostly cool weather group of teams.

[1972Shocker]

Shocks finish 5th in Rio Verde Invitational in Arizona hosted by Western Michigan. This tournament now in its 16th year is usually populated with mostly cool weather, mid-major programs.

Taryn Torgerson faltered a little bit to day to a 77 and finished 4th on the individual leader board. Laine Evans had a pretty decent tournament finishing tied for 11th 3 shots behind Taryn.

Good to see Taylor DeBell chip in wiht a 76 today after shooting mid-80's her first two rounds. Now to find some consistency.

[1972Shocker]

The Lady Shocks are tied for 6th with K-State at the MountainView Collegiate Tournament host by Missouri and K-State but held in Tuscon.

However, this was a very unusual round for the Shocks. Sr. Abbi Shaddix shot an even par 72, including 5-under on the front 9, So. Michelle Ledermann shot 73, Jr. Laine Evans cared a 74 and Sr. Taryn Torgerson, who usually is the one carrying the team, recorded a 7-over 79 and she made her only 2 birdies over her final 3 holes to do that.

I would expect Taryn to bounce back tomorrow as it is very unusual for her not to be among the top 10 on the individual leaderboard and leading the way for the Shockers. The Shockers are 10 storkes out of 1st after the first round.

[1972Shocker]

The Lady Shocks moved into a 3rd place tie with Illinois after round 2 trailing leader Kansas by 3 strokes and 2nd place San Jose State by 1 stroke. Furthermore, they are doing it without their best golfer. Taryn Torgerson has withdrawn from the tournament. Not sure of the reason for that but based on her uncharacteristicly poor 1st round an injury or perhaps illness maybe the reason but that is unknown at this point. Would explain her struggles in round 1.

The rest of the team has stepped up nicely to try to fill that large void. Laine Evans was carded a 2-under 70, Michelle Ledermann and even par 72, So. Anna Chickering a 74 and Sr. Abbi Shaddix a 78.

Hopefully, nothing too serious for Taryn.

https://www.birdiefire.com/tournament/45510/