Despite an improvement from the first- day performance, the Cal State Northridge women’s golf team finished in eigth place at the Lady Braveheart Challange at the Oak Valley Golf Course.

“Half of the team, including me, were sick,” said head coach Bonnie Murphy. “We did not fair as well as we hoped we would.”

The team improved eight shots Feb. 14, and sophomore Jennifer Yoo finished in 32nd, which was the highest placing for the Matadors. The team played consistently and had close scores between them at the end of the tournament.

“We set goals on Monday night and we improved a lot on Tuesday,” Murphy said. “The weather helped a lot and the girls played well, considering the rating of the course.”

Oak Valley Country Club has a slope rating of 147, which is the most difficult course that the Matadors played on this season, Murphy said.

Yoo ended up with a score of 167, a +23 score, having 84 on Feb. 13 and finished on Feb. 14 with an improved 83.

“Our scoring average is a little too high right now,” Murphy said. “I think we need to have a team average of 320 and an individual score of 80. I am confident the team can do that.”

Sophomore Katrina Sutton was right behind Yoo and finished the tournament with 170, +30, placing her in the 41 position of the tournament.

“Katrina is a great addition to the team,” Murphy said. “She was not happy with her result and she will continue to work hard. I am confident that she will improve a great deal.”

Right behind Sutton were senior Kristin Smith and freshman Stephanie Aston. Smith had 171, +27 and improved three shots on Feb. 14. It helped her finish the tournament in 41st place. Aston struggled a bit on Feb. 14 from her Feb. 13, 85 performance with an 87, finishing in 45 place with 172, +28. Senior Carin Emby recorded 184, +40, finishing in 63 place.

“As a team, we are struggling on the greens and our main focus is putting,” Murphy said. “We have been working on that all week and should do better at Northern Arizona.”

The Matadors best finish has been eighth place. The team had not played since December of last year. In earlier matches, the women’s golf team finished ninth at the Cal Poly Invitational, 13th at the Lady Aztec Invitational, and 18th at the Heath Farr Memorial/CU invitational.

The Matadors’ next match will be the Red Rock Invitational in Sedona, Ariz. beginning Feb. 25. The women’s golf team will not have a local match until the Matador Spring Invitational, which will be held in Granada Hills on April 3.

Oscar Areliz can be reached at oscar.areliz@csun.edu.