The women's golf team played two tournaments in one weekend for the first time this season. The Jeffs traveled to South Hadley for the Massachusetts State Invitational on Friday and co-hosted the Jack Leaman Invitational with Mt. Holyoke College on Saturday and Sunday. They were one week removed from their last tournament-the Vassar Invitational-where Amherst placed fourth. But unlike last weekend's unpleasant weather conditions, all three days presented the golfers with terrific weather.

During the Mass. State Invitational, senior captain Sarah Harper led the scoring for the Jeffs, firing an 82 and placing fifth individually. The team shot a solid 355 to place third, which is the Jeffs' best finish so far this season. But Harper pointed to her inconsistent iron play as a possible area of improvement. Harper hit nine greens during the tournament on Friday, but failed to match that result in either of the following two rounds of the Jack Leaman Invite. Regardless, Harper was able turn in solid rounds on Saturday and Sunday as well, finishing eighth overall with a score of 82-81-163.

The rest of the team had difficulties with Friday's round. Junior Ali Berman cited the unfortunate conditions of the course, despite the beautiful weather, as a factor in the Jeffs' results. Berman finished with a 94 while Kinne Schwartz '10 carded an 89 and Jordan Chafetz '10 fired a 90. The Jeff scoring was rounded out by sophomore Amanda Otieno, who finished with a 110.

The Jack Leaman Invitational provided an opportunity for the Jeffs to utilize any sense of home-field advantage, with the first round being played at Hickory Ridge Country Club. The Jeffs responded well to their home course, firing a 347 on the first day to tie for fifth overall. The second day sent Amherst to the famed Orchards Country Club, where the Jeffs fired a 355 on one of the most difficult courses in the Northeast. The first-place team, Boston College fired a two-day total of 633 to win by over 40 strokes. As a team, Amherst finished seventh in a field of 15 teams.

Individually for Amherst, Harper was followed by Berman, Schwartz, Chafetz and Otieno, who fired scores of 83-86-169, 84-96-180, 98-92-200, and 109-112-221, respectively.

In what was a successful weekend, beautiful weather and pleasant golf highlighted the play for the women's golf team. "It was a great weekend because the weather was gorgeous," explained Berman. "We could just enjoy [playing] some pleasant rounds of golf."

Up next for the Jeffs is the Williams Invitational at Taconic Golf Course in Williamstown, Mass. With more enjoyable weather and another tournament under their belts, Amherst will look to compete amongst a very challenging and competitive field this coming weekend.