Riemenschneider sizzles as Batavia beats Geneva
In her fourth year on the Batavia varsity girls golf team, Alyssa Riemenschneider put together a five-hole stretch for posterity Monday afternoon against Geneva.
After holing a tricky left-to-right putt to save double bogey on the fourth hole at Bliss Creek in Sugar Grove, the senior was on the par-4 fifth hole in regulation, 20 feet below the cup.
Riemenschneider drained the birdie and negotiated the sixth after also reaching the hazard-laden par 3 with her tee shot.
Then came the seventh hole, a short, uphill par-4, which Riemenschneider narrowly missed driving.
The ball came to rest some 40 above the hole, whereupon the Bulldogs' second-rated player promptly chipped in for her first-ever eagle in competition.
"I actually thought it was long, but then it hit the pin," said Riemenschneider.
The senior almost hit the pin on her next tee shot, the downhill eighth hole, only to settle for par from six feet.
Riemenschneider putted from off the apron on the ninth hole, converting her par from three feet to put the finishing touches on a career-low 1-over-par round of 37 to lead Batavia to a 168-180 Western Sun Conference victory over its archrival from Geneva.
"It was the putting," said Riemenschneider, who was 4 over after an equal number of holes. "After the double (on the fourth), that was huge (to make birdie on No. 5). I should have had that (putt on No. 8). I was really nervous on that one and pushed it."
With the 12-shot victory, Batavia extended its season-opening dual-meet winning streak to six matches.
Geneva fell to 4-2, 0-1.
"I'm ecstatic for her," said Batavia coach Leon Pedraza. "(The Geneva match is) one we circled on the calendar. We have been talking about it in quiet tones."
"That was just icing on the cake (my career round came against the Vikings)," Riemenschneider said.
Batavia also received a career-low performance from Eileen O'Malley, the Bulldogs' fourth golfer who had back-to-back birdies on the third and fourth holes to flavor her 4-over-par 40.
The senior converted putts from 15 and five feet, respectively.
Playing companion Jessica Serrate added a 45 for the Bulldogs' third counting score.
Lauren Lenkowski, the Bulldogs' senior No. 1 player, came home with a 46 in the lead group to complete the collective scorecard.
Geneva sophomore Shannon Delaney drove the 250-yard, par-4 fourth hole, and her eagle effort stopped inches short.
Delaney was tied with Rimenschneider after five holes, only to come in with a team-best 43.
Kim Connor and Kendall McCleary had matching 44s for Geneva, and Trish Harrington rounded out the Vikings' scorecard with a 50.
"I tried keeping the other players' games out of my mind," said Delaney. "I kind of lost my focus the last few holes. I learned my lesson."