By Andrew Hartley(andrewhart1ey) – Spear Reporter
Kajsa Arwefjäll beginning her swing to tee off | Photo Courtesy of SJSU Athletics
The Spartans couldn’t do it twice.
SJSU women’s golf had three players finish in the top 10, but the University of New Mexico team took the reins this year. After losing by 30 strokes a year ago, the largest winning margin in Mountain West tournament history, the Lobos won by five strokes Thursday.
The Spartans finished with a lower score (858), than the one that won them the MW championship the year prior (860), but the Lobos wanted to break records of their own.
Trailing by four going into the final day, UNM would shoot 8-under-par in round three. Their 280 is the second-lowest score on the Dinah Shore Course in the tournament’s history. Only topped by the 279 by SJSU in round one of 2022.
Although they finished in second, the Spartans held first place for much of the tournament. After day two on Wednesday, they tied a record they set last year for lowest 36-hole start with a score of 569.
Once again, the senior leaders came through.
Antonia Malate finished tied for sixth, led the tournament in birdies and at one point had five consecutive of them. SJSU as a team led the tournament in birdies headed by Malate.
Kajsa Arwefjäll finished second overall shooting five-under and shot the best of any player on par-4s.
In fact, the par-4 dominance is what anchored the Spartans success.
They shot the best of any team on those holes with the second place team trailing 11 strokes behind them. Arwefjäll, Louisa Carlbom and Lucia Lopez Ortega finished in the top three of par-4s. The Spartans also led the tournament in birdies with 54. They’ve been able to count on the play of their senior leaders all year, but it’s the remaining scores they need to continue to soar.
After struggling on day one Tuesday, Lopez Ortega found herself in the top 10 again this year finishing tied for ninth shooting 2-under.
While they did not repeat as champions, the women will stick to head coach Dana Dormann’s four-word message echoed all year long: “stick to our process.”
The Spartans will look to continue their positive momentum heading into the NCAA regionals. They still do not know where they will be playing, but the potential options are Ga., Fla., Wash., N. C., Texas and Ind. Regionals will take place from May 8-10.