By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

WALLA WALLA, Wash. -- Willamette University improved its team score by 19 strokes during the second round of the Northwest Conference Spring Classic in women's golf, as the 36-hole event concluded at Wine Valley Golf Club on Sunday, April 4. The Bearcats, who registered a team score of 455 during Saturday's first round, carded a 426 on Sunday. Willamette placed ninth in the team standings.

Meghan Hook (Jr./So., Sunnyvale, CA/Homestead HS) led Willamette with an overall score of 204 (101-103). Analyssa Ruiz (Sr./So., Keizer, OR/Blanchet Catholic School) finished at 205 after leading the Bearcats with a career-low round of 96 on Sunday. She shot a 109 in the first round. Alexis Schwartz (Sr./So., Ontario, OR/Ontario HS) registered a score of 219 (106-114). Kiki Fierstos (Jr./So., Redmond, OR/Redmond HS) shot 253 after improving by 25 strokes from the first round with a score of 114 in the second round.

The individual champion was Mackensie Toole of George Fox University, who carded a score of 1-under par 143 (73-70) after shooting 2-under par in the second round. Two other GFU golfers placed second and third, with Alison Takamiya in second at 148 (79-69) and Alex McMenamin in third at 150 (74-76). Takamiya's 3-under par 69 in the second round was the low round of the tournament.

Nicole Matiatos from Pacific Lutheran University placed fourth at 155. She shot a 77 on Saturday and a 78 on Sunday. Allie Slingsby of GFU was fifth at 157 (73-84) and Kamryn Ford of Lewis & Clark College was sixth at 160 (79-81). Seventh place went to Emma Beyer from Whitman College with a 36-hole score of 163 (78-85). Kaitlin Tonai of George Fox was eighth at 165 (80-85).

The Bruins of GFU won the team title with a score of 598 on the strength of consecutive rounds at 299. Pacific Lutheran and Whitman tied for second place at 691, as the Lutes shot 344-347 and the Blues carded 344-357. Whitworth University placed fourth at 692 (344-348), missing PLU and Whitman by just one stroke. Pacific University was in fifth place at 735 (362-373), Lewis & Clark held sixth place at 742 (363-379), and the University of Puget Sound finished in seventh place at 753 (373-380). Linfield University took eighth place at 824 (417-407) and Willamette was ninth at 881 (445-426).

Willamette will play again on April 17 and April 18 at the NWC Tournament. The 36-hole event will take place at the Kalispell Golf and Country Club in Spokane, Washington.