Duke University falls to Arkansas 3-2 to close Liz Murphey Classic
NEWS RELEASE FROM DUKE UNIVERSITY
ATHENS, Georgia: After taking down both opponents in Saturday’s portion of match play at the Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic, the Duke women’s golf team dropped a 3-2 decision to Arkansas Sunday to conclude action at the 6,307-yard, par 72 University of Georgia Golf Course in Athens, Georgia.
“Everyone played hard,” said Duke head coach Dan Brooks.  “Losing to Arkansas was no disgrace -- they're a very good team.  We'll keep training and get ready for ACCs.”
Taking victories for Duke Sunday were freshman Virginia Elena Carta and senior Celine Boutier.

Carta, a product of Udine, Italy, never trailed against Alana Uriell on the day.  After registering a par on hole No. 10, Carta went 1-up and held the score for six holes.  A bogey by Carta on No. 16 dropped the score back to all square.  Behind back-to-back birdies on No. 5 and No. 6, Carta went 2-up with three holes remaining.  A bogey by Carta on No. 8 moved the score to 1-up, but she matched Uriell’s birdie on No. 9 to close with a 1-up win.

Boutier, who hails from Montrouge, France, also never fell behind against Summar Roachell and behind birdies on No. 14 and No. 15 she went ahead 1-up.  Roachell did win hole eight to get the match to all square but Boutier registered a birdie on the final hole to win 1-up.

Maria Fassi started strong for Arkansas and never looked back as Blue Devil sophomore Gurbani Singh couldn’t get a lead.  A native of New Delhi, India, Singh cut her deficit to 1-down with two holes left and even birdied No. 9, but Fassi also birdied to claim the 1-up win.

Lisa Maguire, who is from Cavan, Ireland, dropped a 2&1 decision to Cara Gorlei.  Maguire didn’t fall behind more than 2-down the entire match but couldn’t get it closer than 1-down all day.

After winning the opening hole to take a 1-up advantage, Duke junior Sandy Choi lost the next two holes to go 1-down through three to Regina Plasencia.  A birdie on No. 13 by Choi got the match back to all square.  Plasencia notched a birdie on No. 16 to take a 1-up lead and Choi couldn’t get back in the lead the rest of the way.

Duke will next compete in the ACC Championship April 15-17 at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C.


Arkansas 3, Duke 2
Maria Fassi (Arkansas) def. Gurbani Singh (Duke), 1-up
Cara Gorlei (Arkansas) def. Lisa Maguire (Duke), 2-and-1
Virginia Elena Carta (Duke) def. Alana Uriell (Arkansas), 1-up
Celine Boutier (Duke) def. Summer Roachell (Arkansas), 1-up
Regina Plasencia (Arkansas) def. Sandy Choi (Duke), 2-up