Staff Report
The 2002-03 season came to a disappointing end for the UNM women's golf team May 9-10 at the Central Regional Championship in Lincoln, Neb.
The12th-ranked Lobos were in search of a top-eight finish, which would have propelled them into the NCAA championship later this month, but missed out by eight strokes.
UNM posted rounds of 316-302-324-942 in rainy, windy conditions at the Firethorn Golf Club to finish in a three-way tie for 12th with the University of Missouri and Texas Christian University.
Bad weather forced tournament officials to postpone the first round until Friday morning, turning the event's first two frames into a 36-hole war of attrition.
Junior Katrina Leckovic was the only Lobo to break 80 in the first round. She fired a 2-over-par 73 to keep her team above water and herself in the hunt for individual medalist honors.
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Leckovic kept pace with a Friday afternoon 74, but stumbled Saturday with a 13-over 84. Her 231 total left her tied for 24th.
Sophomore Kailin Downs, the Mountain West Conference player of the year, was next best for the Lobos, with rounds of 80-75-77-232. Downs, whose stroke average for this year is just a shade over 73, finished in a tie for 31st.
Christina Spence battled back for UNM after a disastrous opening round of 88. The sophomore carded a 3-over-par 74 and closed with a 79 to finish at 241 - tied for 63rd.
Sophomore Shannon Johnson finished at 33-over-par 246 in a tie for 81st; and junior Kellyn Newman at 252, tied for 93rd.
The University of California took home the regional title by posting a three-day total score of 897 - 20 strokes better than second-place finisher Kent State University.
Individual honors went to the University of Wisconsin's Katie Connely, who shot an impressive 4-over-par 217 to best Cal's Vikki Lang by a single stroke.
UNM head coach Jackie Booth can take heart despite the disappointment in Nebraska. Her squad, which placed four players on the all-conference team, will remain completely intact for next year. The young, MWC champion Lobos were senior-less this season.
