If a team decides to make the trek all the way from North Carolina to Japan to play in a tournament, expectations to perform will invariably run high. Under that pressure at the rain-shortened Topy Cup, both the men's and women's golf teams fulfilled their lofty aspirations.
The women's squad seized its second victory in as many events by a dominant seven strokes over nearest competitor Nihon University.
The men's team did not emerge victorious, but it walked away with a very respectable second-place showing in Fukushima. With a combined team score of 21-over-par, the squad missed top honors by a narrow two-shot margin, falling to Washington.
Freshman Kristina Engstrom emerged as the surprise leader of the nation's top-ranked women's team, scoring an excellent two-over 146 in two rounds to snatch top honors in the individual category.
"She is capable of shooting those scores," coach Dan Brooks said, "and she executed."
Brooks said he believes steady play will be the key in the women's effort to repeat as NCAA champions.
"Last year we had too many peaks and valleys," he said. "This year I would like to see more consistent golf down the stretch."
The Blue Devils stood in third after the first round but shot a 287 over the final 18 holes to capture the title. Sophomore Beth Bauer tied for second with a 147 for Duke, two strokes behind Engstrom.
On the men's side, the Blue Devils could only watch as two Huskies birdied the 18th hole to ensure their victory. Junior Paul Tucker led the Blue Devils with a 148, which earned him third place in the individual standings.
However, the team's strength was its consistency. Three players, Tucker, Matt Krauss and Mike Christensen, finished among the top-10 scorers in the tournament.
The men will tee off next at the Windon Invitational, which will feature NCAA Preview champs Northwestern and other highly ranked teams. The women's next test comes at the Lady Tar Heel Invitational, where Duke will have a chance to square off against its archrival, among other participants.
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