The 2009 University of Redlands women’s golf team continued to fill out its schedule with adept opponents and gained experience against tough regional competition in the program’s third year of existence.

On Feb. 15, the team started its season off with the Cal State San Marcos Cougar Invitational and faced an array of NCAA Division II talent. Due to inclement weather, the golfers competed in just one round rather than the scheduled two. Freshman Tracy Saracino (Englewood, CO) owned the Bulldogs’ top finish at the event, shooting 13 strokes over par with an 85 for 13th place.

Redlands returned to action the following weekend as the Maroon and Gray entertained UC Santa Cruz, George Fox University (OR), Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges and Occidental College in the Lady Bulldog Classic at the Yucaipa Valley Golf Club. Junior Staci Walsh (Shoreline, WA) tied for third in the two-day event with a 168-stroke total while Saracino posted the eighth-best tally at 172.

Saracino amassed a first-place score of 83 at the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) 18-hole No. 1 on March 2, which served as her first-ever event win as a Bulldog. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges’ depth, however, trumped Redlands’ as the Athena contingent won by 14 strokes.

The team then traveled to Phoenix, AZ, on March 21 for the George Fox Women’s Spring Invitational where it faced two quality opponents in George Fox and St. Lawrence University (NY). Saracino established a program record low when she shot a 78 in the first day of the invitational and followed that up with the best-ever two-round total (158) in program history.

Redlands once again faced off against formidable competition as it took on NAIA’s Cal Baptist University and NCAA Division II’s Augustana College (SD) in addition to Claremont-Mudd-Scripps at the Cal Baptist University Desert Invitational. The entire Bulldog quartet of Saracino, Walsh, senior McKenzie Jones (Eugene, OR) and sophomore Janae Alvarez (Thermal, CA) contributed as the Maroon and Gray edged the Athenas by seven strokes for third place. Additionally, sophomore Karly George (Mission Viejo, CA) and sophomore Kim Masunaga (Cupertino, CA) carded solid scores for the Bulldogs at the event.

Finally, the team’s season ended with a head-to-head matchup with its rival and familiar foe, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps. Walsh tied the Athenas’ Lauren Buchanan for the top spot with a 79 while Saracino ended up four strokes behind the lead for third place. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, however, received outstanding performances from its third and fourth golfers, resulting in a 342-363 victory over Redlands.

Seven of the eight team members are scheduled to return next year, including the Bulldogs’ aces in Saracino and Walsh. In addition, junior Paige VanArsdall (Lakewood, WA) looks to provide depth to the team next year after balancing a challenging academic load this past season. Redlands looks to continue competing against talented teams and raising the program’s profile among the in-region opponents.