By
Brian Penso
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Hatley and Baena impressive in season opener
Both Arizona golf teams started the 2000 season in an impressive fashion this weekend, each finishing in the top three of their respective tournaments.
The women finished second in the NCAA Preview Tournament in Howey-in-the-Hills, Fla., three strokes behind Duke.
The tournament's final round was canceled due to Hurricane Gordon, which caused the second round to be played in driving rain.
The Wildcats were near the top of the leaderboard in the second round when a downpour caused the round to be interrupted on the ninth hole.
During the rain delay, the women were informed that the final round would be canceled, and the day's final nine holes would decide the outcome of the tournament.
"This put a lot of pressure on the girls," women's head coach Greg Allen said. "We went out and tried to win the tournament, and we just had some problems closing it out."
The Wildcat women were led by junior Cristina Baena, who finished third, one stroke behind co-champions Maria Prieto and Marta Beautell, both of Wake Forest.
Baena played the final two holes in the rain and bogeyed both, costing her the individual title.
"Baena had a chance to win and I feel that she would have won if the conditions were different," Allen said. " But that's golf."
While the women were battling the effects of Hurricane Gordon, the Arizona men were competing in the William H. Tucker Intercollegiate in New Mexico.
While the men finished third, the players and coaches were not very pleased with the team's results.
"We were pretty disappointed with our performance," sophomore Reid Hatley said. "We feel we are the best team and we expect to win."
Hatley finished third individually.
"Reid played great," men's assistant coach John Knauer said. "With Ricky (Barnes) playing hurt, Reid stepped up his game and played great."
Hatley, though, was unsatisfied with his finish.
"I am real disappointed in third," Hatley said. "I feel I could of played a lot better."
The Wildcats also got an impressive first showing from freshman Chris Nallen, who finished 18th in his first collegiate tournament.
"There is a lot of pressure playing in your first collegiate tournament and he responded by playing well," Knauer said.
As a whole, the men were disappointed with their performance despite the high finish.
"I don't think any player is satisfied with the way they played," Knauer said. "We did not play well, and we still were only four shots off the lead. I feel we were the best team in the tournament, and we just gave the tournament away."
The Arizona women will next be in action Thursday at the Dick McGuire Invitational in Albuquerque, N.M. while the UA men will travel to the East Coast for the Ping/Golfweek Preview in Durham, N.C. on Sunday.
