Pirates finish fourth overall at CCCAA Women's Golf State Championships
ARROYO GRANDE -- Don't tell the golfers on the Orange Coast College women's golf team that playing on a 5,087-yard golf course is a walk in the park. Coast battled the obstacles, as well as an elite field of golfers and finished fourth overall at the 2021 California Community College Athletic Association Women's Golf State Championship on Monday at Cypress Ridge Golf Club.
The Pirates entered Day 2 just one shot off of the lead and in a good position for the program's first-ever women's golf state championship, but it just wasn't in the cards.
Coast finished the two-round event with a team score of 315-334-649, behind eventual state champion Modesto College, second-place Saddleback College and third-place Reedley College.
Leading the way for the Pirates on Monday was No. 1 starter, Stephanie Tran. After a frustrating 80 on Day 1, Tran buckled down and played a much better, all-around game and carded a 76 on Day 2. After opening with six straight pars, Tran tripped up on 7 and 8 for a pair of double bogeys before ending the front nine with a solid birdie. Six more pars followed before taking on the tricky 16th hole that is a short, but uphill, dogleg-left par-4. Tran stepped up and mashed a drive to within 10 feet of the hole and she settled for a two-putt birdie. A rough double-bogey on 17 was followed with a par on 18 to complete her round.
Katherine Crinella played two days of solid golf for the Pirates. After an opening-round 78, the OCC freshman kept it going and carded an 83. In addition to her quality round, she ended her state championship experience on the right foot with a birdie on the 18th hole, her third birdie of the round.
Some early-round struggles doomed the Pirates on Monday, including freshmen Emma Ashcraft, who carded an 87 and Meah Collins, who came in with an 88. April Garcia finished up Monday's round with a 92, followed by Michelle Manzo, who carded a 100.
"It was a tough two days for us with the putter all around," OCC head coach Sean Collins said. "You three-putt enough and it starts to get in your head and that's hard to overcome."
In spite of the rough Monday, the scores do not reflect the success obtained by the Pirates for the 2021 season. After finishing second in the Orange Empire Conference and second at the Southern California Regionals, the Pirates earned a team trip to state for the first time since 1999, where they finished third that year.
"This was an unbelievable season for us ... I couldn't be prouder of the girls," Collins said. "They probably don't understand this, but they are the team that re-pioneered the OCC women's golf program. We had a great season and it was awesome playing Saddleback every week ... pushing each other all year long. In addition to the golf, we didn't have one positive test for COVID all year, so our girls kept their noses clean. Hopefully next year, I can get us some more contests and so we can get more experience heading into something like this. It was hard to go back-to-back and I think it affected the girls a little bit. But still ... a great year for all of us."
