ST. CHARLES, Mo. (April 20, 2021) – Junior Lorenza Martinez finished 15^th overall as the Loyola University Chicago women's golf team battled a variety of extreme weather on the closing day of the Missouri Valley Conference Championship in St. Charles, Mo.
 
The Ramblers finished ninth on the final team leaderboard, closing play at the Bogey Hills Country Club (par 71, 5,987 yards) with a two-day total of 991(324-325-342).  Evansville (300-304-338) edged UNI (308-306-328) in a playoff to claim the MVC title and the league's automatic berth to the NCAA Regionals after both teams finished with respective scores of 942.  The Purples Aces' Sophia Rohleder laid claim to individual medalist honors with a 229 (75-74-80).
 
"This year was something totally different than anyone had ever gone through before," Loyola head women's golf coach Carly Werwie stated.  "Our team has faced a lot of adversity with everything surrounding COVID-19.  It's easy to look at this tournament and be frustrated with the way we ended, but we had a lot of great things happen within our program.  This week was tough to see where we ended, but I know this is not a true representation of our abilities as a program."
 
Dealing with less than ideal conditions that included sleet and snow, Martinez earned her second-straight 15^th-place finish at the MVC Championships, carding an 82 to conclude play with a 54-hole tally of 239 (78-79-82).  Freshman Abby Thielbar secured a top-30 finish in her debut at the league meet, sharing 28^th with a 247 (84-78-85) following a final-round 85 to wrap up a terrific freshman campaign in Rogers Park.
 
Making her final appearance as a Rambler, senior Abbey Meyers shot an 87 to close out her collegiate career by tying for 39^th place at 255 (85-83-87).  Sophomore Caroline Dayton and freshman Kate Meier both handed in rounds of 88 today.  Dayton placed 37^th with a 253 (80-85-88), while Meier landed eight shots back at 261 (82-91-88) to land 43^rd.
 
"Today's conditions were some of the toughest I've seen as a coach, with rain, sleet, and snow that we played through," Werwie concluded.  "It was fun to see Lorenza finish in the top 15 this week and have a solid spring season.  Abbey had her last event as a senior, and it's been enjoyable to see the progress she has made with her game since I started working with her during her sophomore year.  Overall, we learned a lot this season and had a ton of growth.  I know our team will be ready to come back even better in the fall."
 
Werwie is expected to welcome back an experienced core of six letterwinners when Loyola resumes play in the fall, a group that includes four of the Maroon & Gold's five leaders in stroke average from this past spring.