Performing well in the Mountain East Conference Tournament is understandably the ultimate goal that both the West Liberty men’s and women’s golf team have been working towards during the 2021-2022 season. With much to prove, both teams were aiming to capture the title they have been chasing for quite some time.

Kailey Pettit, an exercise physiology major, has made quite the name for herself during her time with the black and gold. Some of these achievements have included: MEC Commissioner’s Honor Roll, MEC Golfer of the Week (4/12/21), 2021 Mr. Bee Intercollegiate medalist, and finally two straight All MEC selections. Now, Pettit can proudly add a third place finish in the 2021 MEC tournament, along with an All Tournament accolade.

Pettit was tightly contested all throughout the tournament, all while trying to close the gap between her and the duo that finished ahead of her, the eventual runner up from Davis and Elkins, Lucrezia Speranza, and Wheeling’s eventual medalist Emily Holzopfel. The championship round was Pettit’s best work throughout the entirety of the three day stretch, as she posted an official 7-over-par 79, a statline impressive enough to make you appreciate how competitive the field was around her. Rounding up the top five were the two placeholders behind Pettit, Charleston’s fourth place finisher Beatrice Dietez and Glenville State’s fifth place finisher Elizabeth Bickar. As for West Liberty’s Alexis Ramby, an All MEC selection, tied for eighteenth overall in the tournament’s completion, a very respectable finish that can be built upon for time to come. Overall, the top three team finishes for the women included Charleston for third, Glenville State for second, and Wheeling for first.

The West Liberty men’s golf team had quite the success to cheer about during their three day stretch. As a team, the black and gold finished as the runner up, a position they had hoped to have finished one spot higher in, but nonetheless are thrilled to receive and build upon as they prepare to play in the regional in the spring.. It was not much of a race beyond the top two of Charleston and West Liberty, as Davis and Elkins saw themselves sitting at third with a fourteen stroke deficit, followed by Concord at fourth and Fairmont State at fifth to top off the top five finishers. Charleston won with a team score of 907 and West Liberty came up short with a score of 920.

Individually, West Liberty showed out once again, with a total of three individual golfers cracking at least the top ten in finishes. Both Noah Seivertson and Alex Eastholm were in hot pursuit of the top finish. The competition was tight until the 18th hole when Charleston’s Mitch Hoffman and Erik Ulvang hung on to their lead and finished only strokes in front of Seivertson and Eastholm. As a result, Both Seivertson and Eastholm tied for a third place finish. The second place finish for Charleston’s Ulvang and Seivertson/Eastholm were separated by one single stroke, with Ulvang shooting 9-over-par 225, and the WLU pair shooting 10-over-par 226. Although heartbreaking, both Seviertson and Eastholm were awarded All MEC Tournament selections as a result of their top five finishes. West Liberty’s Howard Peterson was the other top ten finish for the team individually, as he put a respectable cap for the team to end the three day stretch. Peterson finished in a tie for ninth place, shooting 15-over-par 231. With the success West Liberty University men’s team saw during the MEC Championships, they will now point their direction on a new journey and prepare for their next set of matchups, which includes traveling to Florida for the Nancy Nichols Invitational and Ohio Valley University Invitational.

The Hilltoppers will next travel to Ravenswood, W. Va to play in the Ohio Valley Invitational on Oct. 23 and Oct. 24.