By MARTY JAMES martyjames.sports@gmail.com

Jill Obelleiro fired an 82 and the Napa Valley College women's golf team took fourth place in the Big 8 Conference's seventh tournament of the fall season on Thursday, Oct. 12, at Yolo Fliers Club in Woodland.

Napa Valley posted a 358-team score.

Yolo Fliers is a par-72, 5,300-yard course.

Ping Yang shot an 89 for the Storm.

Also playing for Napa Valley was Mya Brooks, 92; Desiree Berdiago, 95; and Ela Ashley, 96.

"Our goal is to break the 360 clip. We got in the 350s. It was great to see us post a score in the 350s," NVC coach Bob Freschi said. "But what I like about this team, they weren't satisfied. They kind of looked at me like, we need to re-evaluate our goals, and we can be better. I'm like, well, let's be better when the time is right. So, let's just focus on what just took place, accept our score, and what it takes to get down lower."

There are three tournaments to go in the Big 8 Conference season for Napa Valley.

"We're really pleased with their effort. I've seen, again, some really good holes," said Freschi.

In particular, the play of Ashley, Yang and Obelleiro stood out for NVC, said Freschi.

Ashley parred her last two holes at Yolo Fliers.

"She's improving and hopefully those last two holes will kind of jump start her. She has what it takes. It's being able to focus and concentrate on every shot with her," said Freschi.

"Ping played really well. Jill played solid and struck the ball well. She played really good."

Modesto Junior College won the Big 8 Conference's seventh tournament, posting a 326-team score.

Reedley College was second at 330, Sacramento City College was third at 349, and Sierra College-Rocklin was fifth at 371.

Also in the field was San Joaquin Delta College-Stockton, 383.

Fresno City College and Taft College tied for last.

Napa Valley travels to the Bing Maloney Golf Complex in Sacramento on Tuesday, Oct. 17 for the next Big 8 Conference tournament. It starts at 12 p.m.

* Marty James is a freelance writer who makes his home in Napa. He retired on June 4, 2019 after spending 40 years as a sports writer, sports editor and executive sports editor for the Napa Valley Register, a daily newspaper in Napa County. He is a 1979 graduate of Sacramento State and a member of the California Golf Writers & Broadcasters Association. He was inducted into the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Hall of Fame in 2016, the Vintage High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2019, and the Napa High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2022.