Victory Kicks Off Season

The Harvard women’s golf team enjoyed a fresh start with the beginning of spring season, defeating Lynn University Sunday at the Boca Woods Country Club in Boca Raton, Fla. Despite windy conditions, the Crimson walked away with a 309-325 victory.

The squad dominated the course, posting the three lowest scoring rounds of the day.

“This was a good way to start off,” senior Emily Balmert said. “The conditions were alright, and we all shot pretty well.”

In addition to challenging the opposing field, the Crimson golfers also found themselves competing with each other, as junior Claire Sheldon edged out freshman Christine Cho, 75-76.

The two took the first and second spots, while Balmert took the third spot, shooting a 77.

“It’s always great to have three players take the top three,” Sheldon said. “They still fought hard for those spots.”

Sophomore Mia Kabasakalis brought up the rear for the Crimson, shooting an 81 to take sixth place in the competition. Senior Ali Bode wasn’t far behind, posting an 83 for eighth place.

“The course was fairly difficult, but we played well,” Sheldon said. “We didn’t risk a lot of shots and we were really focused. I think as a team we were happy with how we did.”

Rounding out the Harvard lineup were juniors Sara Harvey and Caroline Vik, along with freshman Jane Lee.

Harvey and Vik, both shot an 86, while Lee was one off with an 87.

The Fighting Knights’ lowest score came from senior Katy McNicoll, who shot a 78.

The 6050-yard par 72 course presented some difficulties, including some low-velocity winds that nevertheless forced the Crimson to change its approach.

“The wind was mild but it still affected how we shot,” Balmert said. “The course was already challenging, but the wind made it that much harder.”

The average Harvard score for the round was 82.94, indicating the depth of the Crimson squad. Harvard golfers also took five of the top eight spots on the score sheet.

“We haven’t played in a long time so we were really eager to get out there,” Sheldon said. “We knew they were a decent team, but we were confident in our abilities.”

The defending Ivy League champions look to establish momentum early on that will carry the team for the short season.

“The season is so short that every win is important,” Sheldon said. “The first match is always important because it can really set the tone for the rest of the season.

“The spring season is really only a month long, so that win is really important in determining the rest of the season.”

Coming off a championship season, the squad looks to hold onto to the top spot until the Ivy Championships.

“We are really looking to remain competitive,” Balmert said.

“Last season was good, but we are confident that we can do just as well this year and this match is a great start to that.”

Harvard’s next match is Wednesday March 25 at UCLA.

—Staff writer Evan Kendall can be reached at kendall@fas.harvard.edu.