MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. – For the first time since 2016, Morehead State women's golf claimed victory, sweeping the Oyster Shuck Match Play event Monday and Tuesday. The team championship is the first for the program since taking the crown at the Murray State Invitational during the 2015-16 season.

Entering the event as the No. 2 overall seed, the Eagles strung together three consecutive victories en route to a team championship. Morehead State opened the event with a 5-0 sweep of No. 7 seed Coastal Georgia before taking back-to-back matches in the semifinal and final rounds, defeating Radford and North Carolina A&T by identical scores of 3-2.

The Eagles return to the course and stroke play at the Spring Break Shootout in Dade City, Fla. The two-day event tees off from Lake Jovita Golf and Country Club on March 16-17.

HOW IT HAPPENED
No. 2 Morehead State defeated No. 7 Coastal Georgia: 5-0-0
Gypsie Hutchinson (MOR) def. Kylee Wheeler (CCG): 2&1
MacKenzie Neal (MOR) def. Lauren Bird (CCG): 1UP
Bridget Connolly (MOR) def. Megan Thompson (CCG): 4&3
Hailey Rietz (MOR) def. Megan Ramer (CCG): 1UP
Alina-Sophie Koch (MOR) def. Kinsley Dowling (CCG): 1UP

No. 2 Morehead State defeated No. 3 Radford: 3-2-0
Sidney Walker (RU) def. MacKenzie Neal (MOR): 4&3
Bridget Connolly (MOR) def. Natalie Welsh (RU): 4&3
Jayde Dudley (MOR) def. Gypsie Hutchinson (MOR): 3&2
Hailey Rietz (MOR) def. Beatriz Mosquera Quintas (RU): Forfeit
Alina-Sophie Koch (MOR) def. Riko Nagai (RU): Forfeit

No. 2 Morehead State (MOR) def. No. 5 North Carolina A&T: 3-2-0
Gypsie Hutchinson (MOR) def. Christyn Carr (NCAT): 2&1
MacKenzie Neal (MOR) def. Maria Boira (NCAT): 1UP
Bridget Connolly (MOR) def. Madison Harriman (NCAT): 5&4
Jayla Rogers (NCAT) def. Hailey Rietz (MOR): 4&3
Cheyanne Stewart (NCAT) def. Alina-Sophie Koch (MOR): 3&2

NOTABLE
In finishing third at the Mid-American Match Play Challenge and claiming the championship at the Oyster Shuck Match Play, Morehead State has collected consecutive top-three finishes for the first time since finishing third at each the Golfweek Program Challenge and the Lady Pirate Intercollegiate to open the 2016-17 season.

The Eagles' sweep of the event also marks the first undefeated match play event in the program's history, as the team owns an 8-2-0 all-time mark in match play.

With three individual match victories, redshirt junior Bridget Connolly becomes the first Eagle to conclude a match play event undefeated while also becoming the second to complete a match play event without dropping a match, joining senior Gypsie Hutchinson (3-0-1) who did so at the Mid-American Match Play Challenge earlier this season.

Following the Oyster Shuck Match Play event, Connolly (7-3-0) and Hutchinson (7-2-1) are tied for the most individual match-play victories in program history, each claiming seven total victories.

QUOTING COACH BARKER
On her team's performance throughout the Oyster Shuck Match Play…
"I'm very proud of our team; it was a total team effort throughout the event. Everyone played with a lot of heart. We halve quite a few holes with birdies this week to put ourselves in contention for the championship."

On her team's Championship Match with North Carolina A&T…
"Today's match was a real battle and we are very excited to bring home the trophy."