Florida Tops Georgia in Annual Team Matches

Team Florida held off a late charge from the Georgia Team to win 29-25 in the 24th annual Georgia-Florida Team Matches, at Black Diamond Ranch in Lecanto, FL, August 17-18.  Florida started the day with a 10-point lead after the opening Four-Ball Match Play matches.  They ended Wednesday's 12 singles matches with a four-point lead to claim the championship title.  The match play format awards one point to the winner of each nine and one point for the overall match, with a half-point for any ties.

Florida started off Wednesday's singles matches with a bang as 2004 FWSGA Amateur Champion, Mary Ann Plunkett captured all 3 points in the opening match.  Georgia started its comeback in the second and fourth matches with Jennifer Cassidy of Dalton, GA earning 3 points over Boynton Beach's Taffy Brower and Laura Coble of Augusta, GA earning 3 points over  Ponte Vedra Beach's Kim Goedecke.  Also contributing points for Florida were Natalia Nicholls with 2 1/2 points, Jessica Castle with 2 points, and senior Sharon Keil aslo earning 2 points.  In match number nine, Mary Jane Hiestand of Naples clinched Florida's victory when she claimed two points in her match against Cheryl Griggs of Sea Island, GA.

Florida needed only 14 points in Wednesday's matches to reclaim the coveted championship.  After Mary Jane Hiestand clinched the winning match points, the remaining Florida matches conceded the remaining six points to Georgia as an act of sportsmanship. 

Team Florida is reclaiming the championship after losing last years matches at Augusta Country Club, 32-22.  The team matches feature the top 12 women amateurs from each of the respective states.  This is the 24th year of the matches with Florida taking an overall lead of 13-11. 

First Round Results:

First Round Points: Florida 14, Georgia 4

(4-Ball Matches)

Mary Ann Plunkett and Pamela Crikelair (FL) def. Claudeen Lindberg and Charlotte Grant (Ga.), 3-0

Terrell Italiano and Kim Goedecke (FL) def. Laura Coble and Danielle Davis (Ga.), 2 ½ - ½

Sharon Keil and Nancy Smith (FL) def. Ena Harvey and Ginette Spinucci (Ga.), 3-0

Mary Jane Hiestand and Diane Lang (FL) def. Lee Burton and Katie Davidson (Ga.), 2-1

Natalia Nicholls and Jessica Castle (FL) def. Ellen Dempsey and Cheryl Grigg (Ga.), 2 ½ - ½

Julie Bartholomew and Jennifer Cassidy (Ga.) def. Taffy Brower and Susie Fonde (FL), 2-1
 

Second Round Results:

Second Round Points: Georgia 21, Florida 15
(Singles Matches)
Mary Ann Plunkett (FL) def. Julie Bartholomew (Ga.), 3-0
Jennifer Cassidy (Ga.) def. Taffy Brower (FL), 3-0
Natalia Nichols (FL) def. Katie Davidson (Ga.), 2 ½ -½
Laura Coble (Ga.) def. Kim Goedecke (FL), 3-0
Jessica Castle (FL) def. Ellen Dempsey (Ga.), 2-1
Ginette Spinucci (Ga.) def. Nancy Smith (FL), 2-1
Sharon Keil (FL) def. Claudeen Lindberg (Ga.), 2-1
Charlotte Grant (Ga.) def. Terrell Italiano (FL), 2 ½ -½
Mary Jane Hiestand (FL) def. Cheryl Grigg (Ga.), 2-1*
Danielle Davis (Ga.) def. Pamela Crikelair (FL), 2-1**
Ena Harvey (Ga.) def. Diane Lang (FL), 2-1**
Lee Burton (Ga.) vs. Susie Fonde (FL), 3-0*

*-The back nine point was conceded.
**-The back nine point and the total match point were conceded.
 

Final Points: Florida 29, Georgia 25