Nov. 5, 2007

KISSIMMEE, Fla. – South Carolina golf wrapped up its fall campaign at the Hooters Women’s Collegiate Match Play Championship. On the Independence Course at Kissimmee’s Ginn Reunion Resort, the 14th-seeded Gamecocks fell 4-0-1 in their opening match against third seed Auburn then narrowly dropped a 3-2 decision to 11 seed New Mexico. Against the Lobos, the match went down to the wire with the No. 3 match deciding the winner. Carolina’s Taylor Barrett just missed against UNM’s Alexandra Phelps, falling 1-up.

Sophomore Bénédicte Toumpsin played in the top spot in both matches, halving her faceoff with Auburn’s Cydney Clanton before topping UNM’s Mikaela Backstedt 4 and 3. Senior Blythe Worley (Greenville, N.C./J.H. Rose) claimed the Gamecocks’ second victory against New Mexico with a 5 and 4 defeat of Morgan Grantham at the No. 2 spot. Worley played Auburn’s Candace Schepperle even early and mounted a comeback at the turn but could not finish the rally, falling 2 and 1.

At No. 3 in the first match, Barrett built a three-hole lead after seven holes, only to see Marisa Milligan mound a comeback that would square the match with four holes remaining. A bogey on No. 14 put Barrett behind for the first time in the first-round match, and Milligan scored a birdie on the next hole to seal the victory. Barrett’s second-round match was nip and tuck throughout as neither player mounted more than a one-hole advantage. Barrett took her final lead with a birdie on No. 12, but Phelps came right back with wins on the final two holes to secure the

Senior Whitney Simons (Aiken, S.C./Aiken) took Auburn’s Margaret Shirley to the final hole but came up short in a 1-up defeat. Against UNM’s Giselle Claux, Simons fell 3 and 2. Freshman Erika Holmen dropped her match-play debut 2 and 1 to Auburn’s Sarah Thead. Against New Mexico, senior Laura Raffo stepped into the No. 5 position, falling to Jodi Ewart 3 and 2.

Three Southeastern Conference members are among the four teams remaining in the winners bracket. No. 1 Duke takes on fifth seed Tennessee in the top half of the bracket, while No. 6 Georgia looks to upset second-seeded Florida for a spot in the title match. Vanderbilt, Auburn and Alabama are in the consolation bracket.

No. 3 Auburn def. No. 14 South Carolina, 4-0-1
Bénédicte Toumpsin (SC) halved Cydney Clanton
Candace Schepperle (AU) def. Blythe Worley, 2 and 1
Marisa Milligan (AU) def. Taylor Barrett, 2 and 1
Margaret Shirley (AU) def. Whitney Simons, 1-up
Sarah Thead (AU) def. Erika Holmen, 2 and 1

No. 11 New Mexico def. No. 14 South Carolina, 3-2
Bénédicte Toumpsin (SC) def. Mikaela Backstedt, 4 and 3
Blythe Worley (SC) def. Morgan Grantham, 5 and 4
Alexandra Phelps (UNM) def. Taylor Barrett, 1-up
Giselle Claux (UNM) def. Whitney Simons, 3 and 2
Jodi Ewart (UNM) def. Laura Raffo, 3 and 2