Knopik Wins State Match Play

Husker sophomore Kayla Knopik knocked off teammate JC Stevenson to win the 2009 NWAGA State Match Play championship at the Kearney Country Club on Wednesday.

Knopik, who will enter her third season at Nebraska in 2009-10, defeated Stevenson 1-up to win her first state match play crown. The Omaha native adds the match play title to her tie for eighth at the Nebraska Stroke Play Championship two weeks ago.

Stevenson, who won the state stroke play championship in Lincoln on June 24, finished second in the state match play tournament for the second time. The Grand Island native also fell in the final in 2007 in McCook, and won the stroke play title in 2006.

In addtion to the championship match win over Stevenson, Knopik beat 17-time state match play champion Susan Marchese in the semifinals, after defeating former Husker All-Big Eight golfer Jane (Deeter) Pohlman in the quarterfinals.

Knopik, Stevenson and the rest of the Huskers open the 2009-10 campaign at the Chip-N Club Invitational at Wilderness Ridge in Lincoln on Monday, Sept. 14.