Despite ending the first day of the 20th annual ACC Championship with a huge lead and maintaining a tie for first through the second day of competition, the Virginia women's golf team slipped during the third day to finish the tournament in second place, one stroke shy of Duke.
The tournament consisted of three rounds of 18 holes, played Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the LPGA International's Legends Course in Daytona Beach, Fla.
Going into the tournament, the Virginia golf team -- ranked No. 22 by Golfweek, the rank it also held at the beginning of the spring season -- knew it would face a formidable opponent in the No. 1 Blue Devils.
"We have been working pretty much all year for this weekend," Virginia coach Kim Lewellen said, noting Duke has won the tournament for 13 years in a row.
"No one has knocked Duke off their throne," she added. "We wanted to give Duke a test. They are by far the best team in the country."
Virginia opened the first day of competition with a strong challenge for the Blue Devils, with a team total 284 (4-under par), 10 strokes ahead of second-place Duke.
"We shot 4-under as a team, which made Cavalier history," Lewellen said. "That had never been done before."
Despite their strong start, however, the Cavaliers followed their opening round with their worst day of the tournament. Virginia shot a team total 295 (7-over par) on the second day of competition, allowing Duke to make up the 10-stroke margin. The Blue Devils shot a team total 285 (3-under par). Being tied, Virginia and Duke were grouped together with Florida State on the final day of competition.
"I went into the tournament, all I wanted to do was beat Duke," freshman Calle Nielson said. "And that is what our goal has been the entire season. I didn't really think about myself; it was more of a team thing. I was really nervous, though."
On the final day, the finish came down to the last pairing. Going into the 18th hole, with just Duke junior Amanda Blumenherst and Nielson left to finish, the two teams' scores were tied.
"We always say that pressure is something that is only perceived, so I didn't have pressure on me," Nielson said. "I didn't feel pressure until the last hole. I was just nervous because I want to do well."
When Nielson bogeyed the hole and Blumenherst parred it, giving Duke the one-stroke win, the outcome marked the closest margin of victory in the tournament's 20-year history. The Cavaliers, though, seemed to focus on the positive side of the outcome.
"It was really disappointing because we came in second by one stroke," junior Jennie Arseneault said. "But it's the first time we all came together and played well at the same time so that was really exciting for us."
Virginia now waits for a bid to the NCAA Championships. The regional tournaments, which determine the entrants, are scheduled for May 8 to 10. Despite their recent loss, the ACC Tournament appears to have left the Cavaliers not only confident, but excited to have another chance at success.
"We came pretty darn close to achieving our goal," Lewellen said. "Going into our postseason play with regionals and nationals, it makes us feel that if we can be one stroke from beating the best team in the country, we have a great shot at playing very well and giving a good showing at nationals"
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