COLOMBUS, OH --- The Xavier women's golf team closed out its 2001 spring season by finishing 14th out of 16 teams this weekend in the Ohio State Lady Buckeye Spring Invitational . The Musketeers shot a 1,000 (343-330-327) in three rounds of action. Ohio State, the host team, won the tournament with a score of 899 (311-304-284). It was the last tournament for seniors and Tri-Captains Melissa Beck (Cincinnati, OH), Paula Greening (Northfield, IL), and Chaley Peelle (Wilmington, IL). Senior Susan Lane (Greenwood, IN) didn't participate in the tournament.

Xavier was led by Beck who finished in the "Top 25" with a 234 (82-74-78). That score was good enough for a tie for 24th place in the field of 98. The next best Musketeer finisher was Greening who carded a 251 (82-86-83) and tied for 69th. Sophomore Beth Hamilton (West Chester, OH) scored a 259 (88-89-82), while Peele and Kelly Bego (Indianapolis, IN) shot 262 (91-85-86) and 263 (93-85-85), respectively.

In the third round of the tournament freshman Jill Stein (Sussex, WI) stole the show, dropping in a hole-in-one, the first of her career. The shot came on the eighth hole, a 139-yard par 3. "The hole is right in the middle of the course on the lake, and I heard the cheering and uproar. I knew someone had an ace, I just didn't know it was Jill until I drove over to see what had happened. I saw her walk directly to the hole and get her ball. It was a great thing to see. For a freshman to get a hole-in-one in such a prestigious tournament, on such a great hole, I was very excited for her," said Head Coach Tony Kountz.

The hole-in-one propelled Stein to her best round of the tournament, 84. She finished with a 265 (94-87-84). Northwestern's Hana Kim also registered a hole-in-one in the tournament.

Natalie Aber of Ohio State was the medalist with a 220 (74-79-67).

Afterwards, Kountz had kind words to say about his team and his seniors. "I thought we fought hard once again. The course was playing long and difficult. The greens are slippery. It was a challenge to post a good score. We were playing some of the top teams in the country. It was a tremendous field. I was happy to see Melissa Beck go out on a good note. She played a really great tournament, and kept her focus for all three rounds. She was hitting the ball so well this tournament. She was controlling both her ball flight and distance. Her second round 74 was her lowest total this spring, and it gave her confidence going in to the last round," said Kountz. "Once again she led this team in scoring average, as she had done the previous three years. She is the all-time best female golfer in Xavier history. She has done so much for this program, both on and off the course. I really hate to see her graduate. She will be missed."