Last year at this time we were talking about a couple of topics in Otterbein sports: will the baseball continue its winning ways and what happened to the women's golf team?
The women's team was considered a lock to win the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) tournament and move onto the division three NCAA national championships.
I mean c'mon, the tournament was at Otterbein's home course. It was really just a matter of playing.
But that's why they play the games. Instead of fulfilling expectations, the women's team struggled at home and ended up finishing in third.
No conference championship, no national title chance. Ohio Northern came to Otterbein turf and won the tournament.
It was a tough end to a season and a hard transition into the next season. Then head coach Sharon Sexton left Otterbein for another school and Nate Petry was hired as the women's golf coach, even though he was already the men's coach.
With a new coach, the women - without feeling sorry for themselves - got to work. They continued to work and in the fall golf season, the team didn't lose a tournament.
They kept working and when the spring season rolled around, they continued their winning ways.
After a 10th-place finish at the Jekyll Island Invite and a seventh-place finish at the Northern Kentucky Invitational, the women's team went on a tear.
They won the next four tournaments and came into the OAC tournament with tons of momentum.
This years OAC tournament was going to set up like a movie. Cue up and play Saul Williams' "List of Demands" (it's the song from the Nike Sparq commercials), and begin thematic slow-mo walk.
The Otterbein women walk onto the Colonial Golfers Club, which just happens to be defending OAC champion Ohio Northern's home course. The two-day tournament takes place April 26 and 27.
The time for vindication is now. The tournament was never in doubt. After day one Otterbein was up 10 shots. After the second day they added to their lead and finished in first.
Their 18-shot margin over second place Ohio Northern punctuates the beat down they put on ONU and the OAC. Vindication achieved.
The tournament saw all five Otterbein golfers place in the top nine. Natalie King (right) led the Cardinals and took second place. Rustie Anderson tied for fourth and Catherine Brunoehler tied for sixth. Emily White took eighth place and Kelly Butler rounded out the domination tying for ninth place. But the season is not over - far from it.
With the OAC win, the Cardinals received their first bid in school history into the division three NCAA national championships.
The championship is May 13-16, and make no mistake, the Cardinals are there to win it.
The tournament will be held in Waverly, Iowa where grotesquely named Wartburg College is hosting.
This movie won't be complete without a National Championship. So think up your best montage song ladies, it's time to bring home a National Championship ladies. Get it done. t&c;
