Lumberjacks Top Montana State, 3-0-2, in First Round of Mountain Classic Match Play

Round One Results

PALM DESERT, Calif. (Feb. 12, 2024) – The Northern Arizona University golf team opened its Spring slate with the first round of Mountain Classic Match Play in Palm Desert, Calif., at The Classic Club today. After battling it out with Big Sky Conference foe Montana State, the Lumberjacks came away with a 3-0-2 victory and will move on to play Wyoming in the semifinals of the championship side of the bracket tomorrow.
 
Ekaterina Malakhova (4&3), Amy Hodgkins (1UP) and Ellena Slater (1UP) all won their matches today to help secure the win.
 
Malakhova won her match, 4&3. After tying the first hole with her Montana State opponent, she led the rest of the way to win with ease.
 
Hodgkins came away with a 1UP comeback victory. After falling behind on the fourth hole, Hodgkins trailed for the next nine, but did not let the match get out of reach. The true freshman birdied the 13^th hole and a par on hole 14 allowed her to tie the match. On the 17^th hole, Hodgkins took the lead after her opponent bogeyed and she finished strong with a birdie on the 18^th hole to win.
 
Slater battled it out with MSU's Hannah Boraas, as the two were all square through the first six holes. Slater would briefly go up on the seventh hole before moving into a tie for the next two. A bogey by Boraas on hole 10 would allow Slater to move ahead and after two all square rounds, Slater retook the lead on the 13^th hole. However, as the pair entered the 16^th, they found themselves all square again until Slater finished the final three holes perfectly at par to win.
 
Lizzie Neale lost 2UP in her match and Lorel Hayward came up short against her opponent, 5&3, as MSU earned an eagle on the final hole to secure the victory.
 
Competing as an individual, Nina Lukyanenko finished all square with her Boise State opponent. Lukyanenko lost the 17^th hole after a bogey but finished strong with her fourth birdie of the day on 18 to secure the tie.
 
Frankie Dezis was also competing as an individual and took on Wyoming. Dezis trailed most of the day but was able to make up ground on the 12^th hole with a birdie after her opponent bogeyed. After two holes at par, Dezis tied the match on the 14^th hole, but her Cowgirl opponent finished strong to win 2&1. Dezis will play Boise State in tomorrow's semifinals on the consolation side of the bracket.
 
Tee times for tomorrow's action begin at 11 a.m. Mountain Standard time with live scoring available HERE on Smart Golf. Wyoming advanced to the championship side of the bracket after a 3-0-2 victory over Seattle.