By John M. Sherrard
(CHINO HILLS) The Mt. SAC Women's Golf team may not have defended its 2015 conference team championship, but it did finish with a flare and came in second in the Orange Empire Conference Tournament and qualified three golfers for the Southern California Regionals on Wenesday.
Over the two-day OEC tournament held at Alta Vista Country Club (Placentia), par 72, and Los Serranos Country Club (Chino Hills), par 74, the Mounties had six wins and two losses against the four other teams in the conference.
Saddleback College won its first OEC title since 2006 and finished the 36-hole tourney with a low score of 676, while the Mounties finished just 12 strokes higher at 688. Mt. SAC had the same score of 344 both days.
However, the real highlight of the tournament for the Mounties was the three So Cal qualifiers: all freshmen – Janet Romero (86.0 avg., 7th overall), Danielle Nhem (88.0 avg., 10th) and Kendall Montero (88.7 avg., 12th).
Also added as a fourth golfer from Mt. SAC was sophomore Tiffany Lin, who was the first alternate. She will join the other three Mountie golfers after a golfer from Orange Coast College withdrew due to medical reasons.
In addition, the three also were named to the All-Conference second team and will compete in the Southern California Regional two-day tournament at Los Serranos Country Club next Monday and Tuesday.
The CCCAA State Championships will be held at Morro Bay Golf Course November 13, 14.
Four teams will advance from the So Cal Regionals to the state championships and six, possibly seven individual spots, will qualify for state.
Mt. SAC will not be competing as a team this year but has won five state titles with the last coming in 2005.
"We came in second (OEC championships) and put it together at end of the year," Mt. SAC coach Greg Osbourne said. "I'm disappointed at not getting to So Cal's as a team, but it is very satisfying for the three freshman getting to the Regionals.
"I'm extremely proud of those girls to be representing Mt. SAC in the Regionals. They are going to work hard and try to make it to state as individuals."
Last year Mt. SAC had one freshman (Victoria Rodarte) and one sophomore (Sarah Juelch) get to the So Cal's and state.
Individually, the highlight was the first-day low medalist Montero (tied with Saddleback golfer Mekenzie Purcell) with a 79.
"I'm extremely proud of Kendall," Osbourne said. "It was the first time she broke 80 in any competition in her life. It was a milestone for her.
"She kept it in play and didn't have any bad holes and scored well."
Montero knew she had to keep it together in the second round to have a chance at advancing to the Regionals. She shot a 90 after a good back nine on the second day.
Montero, who came into the second day one position out of the seven spots available for the So Cal's, gained the invite for her two-day total of 169.
In addition, Romero had a consistent two-day 82 and 81 and Nhem had a 90 on the first day and 87 on Wednesday.
"For me personally, I'm very proud of them and everything starts over at Regionals and hope they can represent us at state," Osbourne added.
Lin (86) and freshman Brianna Pulido (91) both were big parts in the second-day score helping the Mounties to the second place. Freshman Tea Castreje had a 97 on the first day.
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For additional information, please contact the Mt. SAC Sports Information Office at 909.274.4630.