Lauren Lebak’s 42s help team to two wins.
By: Neil Hay
You can take this one to the bank the Peddie girls’ golf team is in for another outstanding season.
With players like Lauren Lebak and Tina Shen back to headline the Falcons lineup, Peddie will be competitive with every team on its schedule and should score well in the tournaments and state championship.
A year ago Peddie went 12-0 under Coach Roby McClellan. Another undefeated season is well within reach. It begins with Lebak, the Peddie junior who last spring averaged 45 for 17 rounds of play. She is joined by the senior Shen, a four-year varsity player who was number two last year. Lebak and Shen tied for third place in the state prep tournament in 2005.
Another returning player is senior Kathryn MacDonald, who moves up one place from fourth to third when McClellan writes out his starting lineup card. Also back is last year’s number five, sophomore Jee Kim.
Two 9th-graders are expected to contribute to the Falcons’ fortunes. Memo to prep rivals: one is Lauren Lebak’s younger sister, Lisa. The other is another promising freshmen, Joyce Suh. Rounding out the roster at number seven and expected to see some varsity action again this season, is junior Yoonie Heo.
"This is a very strong team," proclaimed McClellan. "I am very optimistic. Lauren and Tina are top players. MacDonald improved dramatically over the summer and fall. The early indication is that Kim is greatly improved in terms of consistency. The two freshmen have lots of potential, and hit many good shots. I fully expect them to be involved in the scoring before the season is over."
Peddie had a successful season opening match Saturday, defeating visiting South Brunswick 191-244. Lauren Lebak led the locals with 42, Shen and Kim both carded a 48, MacDonald had a 53. Suh (55) and Lisa Lebak (59) rounded out the scoring.
Peddie improved to 2-0 on a windy Tuesday afternoon with a 190-233 win over West Windsor-South at Cranbury Golf Club. While South’s boys team is one of the area’s best, this is the first year for the South girls’ squad.
Said McClellan, "We love playing (South). They are working hard and excited. They had three players shoot in the mid-’50s," quite an accomplishment for a first-year program.
Despite one bad hole, Lauren Lebak led all scorers with a 42. Shen was five strokes back, followed by Kim’s 48 and Lisa Lebak’s 53. The round of the other two starters, Suh (55) and MacDonald (56) did not figure in the final scoring.
Lauren Lebak encountered difficulty on the fifth hole, a par 4. She hit a good drive which caught the sand. When she tried to blast out, backspin put the ball back in the beach. But she finished impressively, closing out her round with a birdie on the par 5 ninth hole.
Wednesday match at Lawrenceville was a victim of inclement weather. Today the team plays against Princeton at home, and tomorrow competes in the Red Devil Invitational.

