Luverne senior Amber Top steers a putt toward the hole on the fourth green at the Luverne Country Club Tuesday. Top and the Cardinal girls edged Canton, S.D., by one stroke to raise their unbeaten golf record to 9-0.
By John Rittenhouse
The Luverne girls' golf team raised its season record to 9-0 by posting three home wins since last Thursday.
The Cardinals remained unbeaten in Southwest Conference play by beating Redwood Valley by 11 strokes at the Luverne Country Club Thursday. LHS then posted non-conference wins over Lincoln HI and Canton, S.D., at the LCC Friday and Tuesday respectively.
Luverne is scheduled to play four events in the next six days. The Cards play in Pipestone today and in the Spencer, Iowa, tourney Saturday. Luverne hosts Red Rock Central and Jackson County Central tomorrow and Tuesday.
Luverne 183, Canton 184
The Cardinals needed to make every shot count to nip Canton by one stroke at the LCC Tuesday.
Melissa Kopp shot a three-over-par 39 to win the medalist honor while Gabe Van Dyk added a 42 to lead the charge.
Kim Bennett carded a 49 for the Cardinals. Amber Top, Cara Wynia and Mindy Lysne all turned in 53s.
Chelsea Zomer shot a 42 to lead Canton.
Luverne topped Canton 220-239 in the B match. Stephanie Morgan shot a 50 to pace the Cardinals.
Luverne 181, LH incomplete
The Cardinal girls played a nine-hole round against an incomplete LH team at the LCC Friday.
LH had two players competing at the varsity level, leaving it two players short of recording a team score.
Luverne fielded a complete team that recorded a 181-stroke total that was led by Gabe Van Dyk's five-over-par 41-stroke round.
Melissa Kopp and Kim Bennett recorded 45- and 47-stroke rounds, Cara Wynia and Amber Top shot 48s and Mindy Lysne a 50.
Luverne's B team recorded a 220-278 win over LH. Stephanie Morgan carded a 51 to lead Luverne.
Luverne 186, RWV 197
The Cardinal girls improved to 4-0 in Southwest Conference play with Thursday's 11-stroke home victory over RWV.
Luverne's Melissa Kopp toured the course with a four-over-par 40 to secure the meet's medalist honor while leading the Cardinals to their seventh straight win of the campaign.
Amber Top, Gabe Van Dyk and Cara Wynia shot 47-, 49- and 50-stroke rounds to cap the scoring for LHS.
Kim Bennett and Mindy Lysne carded 54- and 62-stroke scores without impacting the team effort.
Alecia Prins and Jessica Bennett led RWV with 45s.