Carbondale Reporter

Southern Illinois University's Women's Golf team is set to participate in the Missouri Valley Conference Championship, which begins on Sunday, April 13, at the Annbriar Golf Course in Waterloo, Illinois. All 12 teams in the Missouri Conference will compete over three days, playing 18 holes each day.

The team representing the Salukis includes Kayla Sayyalinh, Pihla Pennanen, Calli Smith, Ella Overstreet, and Morgan Gindler. Kylee Vaughan will be available as a substitute player.

Kayla Sayyalinh leads the team with an average score of 76.56, placing her 11th in the season average ranking within Saluki history. Her standout performance was at the Notre Dame Clover Cup, where she achieved a team-low round of 70 and a three-round total of 220. Sayyalinh has secured five top-30 finishes, the highest on the team.

Freshman Pihla Pennanen has also performed well, with 19 of her 27 rounds in the 70s. Her season low is 221, with rounds of 72 and 71 in the latter parts of the competition.

Annbriar Golf Course, where the conference is being held, is a par-72 course with a total yardage of 6,067. Weather conditions over the tournament days are forecasted to vary. Sunday is expected to have mostly sunny skies with a high of 79 degrees and winds ranging from 15 to 25 mph. Monday's forecast predicts a high of 66 degrees, cloudy skies, and a slight chance of rain, with winds between 10 to 15 mph. On Tuesday, the weather will be sunny with a high of 63 degrees, and winds from 10 to 20 mph.

To stay updated on the tournament progress, live scoring will be available.

Saluki fans and followers can receive the latest updates on social media platforms including X, Facebook, and Instagram under the team's official handles.