Kaitlyn Parohinog is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Desert Mountain for AZPreps365.com.

The Desert Mountain girls golf team defeated Notre Dame Prep on Tuesday by three strokes, 180-183, at Troon North Golf Club. 

Madie Hepner had the lowest score overall with a 4-over-par 40. Ali Krendick shot the lowest score for Notre Dame Prep with a 41.

Hepner also won the Scottsdale School District Girls Invitational on Monday with a score of 75, 5 over par. Desert Mountain’s Ellie Shirley finished second with a score of 78, 8 over par.

The Wolves improved to 5-2 on the season with only one more match remaining before the State Preview on Oct. 18 at Aguila Golf Course.

Hepner began the first four holes against Notre Dame at 1 over par, bogeying the first hole and getting par on the next three.

“Today … without the warmup … I was just trying to hit it as best as I could,” Hepner said.

Hepner proceeded to shoot bogeys on the Nos. 5 and 6 holes, followed by a par and then a triple bogey. She rebounded and finished strong by shooting an eagle on the No. 9 hole.

“I knew if I made [the putt] then I would redeem myself a little bit from the last hole,” Hepner said. “If I missed it then … oh well, it would still be a birdie or par at worst. Obviously the goal was an eagle.”

Krendick also had a solid start to the match, shooting par on holes two and five while also shooting close to Hepner, her playing partner.

“I definitely could’ve made some putts that I missed, but other than that I did really good,” said Krendick, who finished her round by shooting par on the last three holes.

Shirley had the third-lowest score with a 44 on the day. She was able to par the Nos. 2, 6, and 9 holes.

Notre Dame’s Charlotte Kim and Katherine Taylor both shot a 45. Kim shot pars on the Nos. 1, 5 and 9 holes, while Taylor parred Nos. 4, 6, 7 and 9.

Desert Mountain senior Baylor Vrabel shot a 50, 14 over par. The round was highlighted by a par on the No. 4 hole, where she had to chip out of the rough next to a boulder on her third shot. Vrabel landed her ball around three feet away from the hole and finished with one putt.

“I was stuck in this weird position right next to this huge boulder so my back was kinda on it and I knew I couldn’t take a full swing,” Vrabel said. “I just kept my club face really open … the greens were fast today so I wanted it a lot shorter and higher. It was really hard putting today but I got it in the hole.”

Wolves junior Anissa Matkin shot a 46, getting pars on the Nos. 3, 5, and 7 holes. Senior Taylor Crowder finished with a 54, shooting par on the Nos. 4 and 5 holes.

Desert Mountain looks to finish the season strong in its last match on Oct. 8 against Arcadia at Eagle Mountain Golf Club. The Wolves will be honoring their senior players before the round starts.

“I’m really looking forward to … having a match where I’m sitting there and appreciating it and not worrying as much about how I play,” Vrabel said.