Defending Champ Deeg Subdues Steffi Neisen to Reach State Match Play Final Again

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MANKATO -- Defending champion Cassie Deeg came from behind on the back nine to defeat her future teammate Steffi Neisen 1 up Tuesday afternoon in the semifinals of the Minnesota Women's State Match Play Championship. 

Deeg, who graduated from Stillwater in June and will begin her freshman year at the University of Nebraska in a few weeks, had beaten Chelsey Falk, a soon-to-be senior at Drake, 4&3 in the morning quarterfinals.

Neisen, who will be a junior at Nebraska this fall, defeated former state high school champ Anna Laorr, a sophomore-to-be at Minnesota, by the same score in her quarterfinal match. 

In the other semifinal, Minnesota senior-to-be Jaclyn Shepherd needed 19 holes to overcome Sarah Burnham, who still has two years remaining at Wayzata High School.

Burnham produced quite a back-nine rally in her morning match, transforming a deficit into a 4&2 victory over Red Wing graduate/Augustana recruit Marisa Toivonen. Meanwhile, Shepherd was rallying for a 19-hole victory over Neisen's sister McKenzie, who will be a junior at New Prague in the fall.

So it will be the top-seeded Deeg vs. the 15th-seeded Shepherd in the final Thursday morning.

The top two seeds will meet in the Senior Division final. Brenda Williams, the defending champ and No. 1 seed, made it through the semifinals with a 3&2 victory over Mary Flynn.

No. 2 Leigh Klasse had to go the full 18 holes to dismiss No. 3 Alison Hurley 2 up.  

MINNESOTA WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION

Women's State Match Play Championship 

At Mankato Golf Club

Par 72

Open Division

Round of 32 (seedings in parenthesis)

(1) Cassie Deeg bye

(2) Celia Kuenster WD

(3) Kelly O'Brien WD

(4) Anna Laorr bye

(16) Tiffany Gretsch def. (17) Aubrie Nelson 1 up

(8) Mary Sweeney def. (25) Bobbie Bohlig 19 holes

(24) Chelsey Falk def. (9) Natalie Samb 1 up

(13) Tayler Hoag def. (20) Anni Heck 6&5

(5) Steffi Neisen def. (28) Jordan Drenttel 6&5

(12) Hailey Boner def. (21) Katie Kesti 2 up

(22) Taylor Auman def. (11) Danielle Brooks 1 up

(6) Sarah Burnham def. (27) Elle Carlson 6&4

(14) Marisa Toivonen def. (19) Hannah VanAmber 2&1

(10) Claudia Pilot def. (23) Cassie Wurm 4&2

(7) McKenzie Neisen def. (26) Taylor Ledwein 5&4

(15) Jaclyn Shepherd def. (18) Tabitha Kunst 19 holes

Round of 16

(1) Deeg def. (16) Gretsch 3&2

(24) Falk def. (8) Sweeney 8&6

(4) Laorr def. (13) Hoag 1 up

(5) Steffi Neisen def. (12) Boner 4&3

(6) Burnham def. (22) Auman 7&6

(14) Toivonen bye

(7) McKenzie Neisen def. (10) Pilot 2 up

(15) Shepherd bye

Quarterfinals 

(1) Deeg def. (24) Chelsey Falk 4&3

(5) Steffi Neisen def. (4) Laorr 4&3

(6) Burnham def. (14) Toivonen 4&2

(15) Shepherd def. (7) McKenzie Neisen 19 holes

Semifinals

(1) Deeg def. (5) Steffi Neisen 1 up

(15) Jaclyn Shepherd def. (6) Burnham 19 holes

Senior Division

Quarterfinals

(1) Brenda Williams bye

(5) Mary Flynn def. Ellie Layton 19 holes

(2) Leigh Klasse bye

(3) Alison Hurley bye