Women’s
golf team is focused, ready for action
By Jack Schneider
On-line Forty-Niner
The
members of the 49ers women’s golf team have
their goals set and their minds focused
on succeeding in competition.
 Joining
the Long Beach State squad are freshmen
Jenny Chen, Hayley Wilkinson and Melissa
Keller, who won several Valley Junior Golf
Association tournaments last year.
In order to achieve their goals, the returning
players and the solid core of newcomers
must prepare diligently for the upcoming
tournaments.
“The practices are a step up from last year
and more intense,” said Sue Ewart, who is
entering her seventh season as The Beach’s
head coach.
With all the competition that the 49ers
face, team captain senior Carla Legaspi
is confident that the team will boost its
collective game when needed.
“Our goal is to win conference, and we can
show Big West teams who Long Beach really
is,” Legaspi said.
This season, Ewart said she believes that
the team can easily finish in the top 10,
but is aiming for a top five position.
The 49ers carry with them the momentum from
a strong campaign last season, highlighted
by the team’s fourth-place overall finish
in the 2002 Big West Championships. Legaspi
placed third in the championships with a
score of 228 — 75-79-74.
During this year’s 10 tournaments — four
in the fall and six in the spring — Ewart
hopes to have her players shooting in the
70s.
“The players should find out where each
of them fits in,” Ewart said.
In addition, one hope for The Beach is the
return of junior Melanie Furuta, who suffered
a back injury last spring.
“There are pretty good chances that we can
get Melanie back this spring,” Ewart said.
Amid the grueling practices, obstacles and
tough competition, the one thing that keeps
the 49ers going is dynamic team spirit.
“We have a really positive attitude with
competition and have the ability to place
high in tournaments, especially regionals,”
assistant captain Teal Thron said.
The 49ers travel to Corvalis, Ore., and
compete in the Oregon State Invitational
on Sept. 16 and 17.
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