Gowdy and Milosh Rally for Third and Sixth NEC Golfer-of-the-Week Distinctions, Respectively, in First Spring Tournaments
Loretto, Pa. – Both the Saint Francis men’s and women’s golf teams put their best spike forward in their initial tournaments of 2008 as a delegate of each squad was nominated for a Northeast Conference Golfer-of-the-Week award. Seniors Matt Gowdy (London, Ontario/A.B. Lucas) and Samantha Milosh (Aliquippa, Pa./Center) were designated the NEC’s best of the week after laudatory play in their 45 and 54 hole tournaments, respectively.
Senior Matt Gowdy (London, Ontario / A.B. Lucas) paced the men’s effort at the George Washington Invitational held at Bear Trap Dunes Golf Club located in Bethany Beach, Del., firing an impressive 191 (78-74-39) for the event. Gowdy finished tied for 22nd place individually, placing ahead of 19 other fellow NEC swingers overall. Saint Francis finished 14th out of a deep-seated 20 teams in their first spring tournament of the year.
On the flipside, senior linkswoman Samantha Milosh (Aliquippa, Pa./Center) set the measure for Saint Francis at the Shamrock Invitational hosted by Winthrop University on the recognized Tega Bay Golf Course in Tega Bay, S.C. Milosh claimed a top 10 finish after her final Sunday shotgun round, finishing in a three-way tie for ninth place with a combined total of 235 (79-74-82). Milosh’s 18-hole adventure through Tega Bay on Saturday, cranking out a two-over 74, ended up being the fourth lowest round for the entire competition.
“I was thoroughly impressed with the way both players finished out their tournaments,” first-year head coach Nick Wheeler stated. “This is certainly a great way to tee off the spring season, but I still believe we have some work to do to capture another NEC Championship. Mount St. Mary’s is certainly the top gun in this year’s race.”
Neither golfer is a stranger to NEC Golfer-of-the-Week distinction. Gowdy, capturing his third career NEC recognition, earned the honor on the week of October 10 this past fall. Gowdy led the Flash at the 11-team Holiday Inn Pittsburgh Airport Colonial Classic at Montour Heights Country Club by carding a two-round total of 141 (69-73). He earned fifth place, individually, and piloted the Flash for a sixth place finish overall. During the week of April 5th, 2006, Gowdy’s first grant came after he fired two straight rounds of 73 to capture his first career individual title at the Hawk Invitational with a 145. Gowdy inked a 73 on Sunday and sat in second place after the first day of competition. His second round duplicated of 73 thwarted him into first place, winning the Invitational by two strokes.
Milosh, possibly Saint Francis’ most heavily adorned, gathered her sixth Northeast Conference Golfer-of-the-Week honor. This week’s decoration denotes Milosh’s fourth prize of the 2007-2008 season (first of the spring quarter). Milosh recently took down first place honors in at the Mount Saint Mary’s Fall Classic in Littlestown, Pa. at the Quail Valley Golf Course by carding a two-day total of 156 (78-78). Her fine 36 holes paced the way for Saint Francis to win its final tournament of the 2007 fall schedule. Milosh earned her first NEC Golfer of the Week accolade on April 19, 2006 when she made a three-day total of 233 (80-76-77) at the Rocket Spring Classic in Toledo, Ohio. Milosh also made a 153 (77-76) at the Bucknell Fall Classic to take home the award on October 4, 2006. Milosh’s fourth and fifth honors came in the first week of the season on September 12, 2007 by shooting a 157 (75-82) at also at the Youngstown State Invitational on September 26, 2007 after she came out victorious with a 159 (74-85) on her home track at the Red Flash Invitational.
The Red Flash men take to the Center Valley Country Club situated in Center Valley, Pa. to take aim at the Lafayette Invitational, taking place on Saturday, April 12 and concluding on the 13th. The women’s next tournament comes in the form of the Longwood Invitational, held at the Poplar Hill Golf Club in Farmville, Va. The Longwood Invitation will be a two-day event, starting on Monday, March 31 and wrapping up on Tuesday, April 1.