MIDDLESEX TWP — When Marisa Glew headed to the first sudden death playoff hole Sept. 19 at Rittswood Golf Course, she was nervous — for the right reason.

"I wasn't playing for myself anymore," she said. "I was playing for my entire team."

The Mars junior didn't know it at the time, but she was playing for an undefeated season as well.

Glew wound up defeating Tess Wolfe of Blackhawk on the third playoff hole that day. The Mars High School girls golf team wound up with a 14-0 record in only its second year of existence.

The Planets finished 4-11 in their first season last year.

Marisa and her twin sister, Lauren Glew, have been the anchors of the young program.

"They both played on the boys team as freshmen," Bill Pettigrew, Mars girls golf coach, said. "They were good enough to make the team, but the problem was that only one girl from a boys team can qualify for the WPIAL girls tournament."

"We wanted to play on a girls team our sophomore year," Lauren Glew said. "We pushed hard for it, but only five or six girls decided to play."

Still, it was enough. The Planets became the 22nd WPIAL school to field a girls golf team.

"We didn't win very much, but we learned a lot," Pettigrew said. "Marisa and Lauren were the only girls on the team who had played golf before."

The Glew sisters were introduced to golf by their father, who took them with him to the driving range when they were 7. They got on a golf course for the first time at age 9.

"He shaved down some of his clubs so we could play," Marisa Glew said.

After last season ended, the Mars girls golf roster doubled in size, from six players to 12.

"We had so much fun last year and just passed the word around to other girls in school," Lauren Glew said. "That's how the interest grew — and we'll have even more next year."

Becky Pappas, Lauren Chowkowski and Katie O'Shields are the only seniors on this year's team. Marisa and Lauren Glew join Megan Gibson as juniors on the squad.

Brittany Jones, Lisa Moser, Katherine Howe and Gabrielle Plesniak are sophomores, Corrine Dye and Sarah Hudac are freshmen.

"Megan plays on the basketball team and Brittany moved in from Texas," Marisa Glew said. "They're a couple of athletes who have really helped us."

Marisa Glew averaged 39 for nine holes this season and finished third in the WPIAL girls individual tournament. Lauren Glew averaged 40 and lost out in a playoff to qualify for the WPIAL meet.

Jones averaged 45, Gibson 48 and Dye 52. Those five girls are representing Mars in the WPIAL girls team tournament today at Cedar Brook Golf Club in Belle Vernon.

"I think we can finish among the top three teams there," Pettigrew said. "Only seven total teams qualified."

While the Glew sisters improved their nine-hole averages by a couple of strokes last year, the rest of the team made major strides.

"Some girls shooting 65 to 67 last year shot 48 to 50 this year," Pettigrew said. "We went from a team average of 212 to something like 185.

"Girls were introduced to the game, liked the game and dedicated themselves to getting better."

Some of them took private lessons during last spring and summer.

Mars plays its home matches and practices at Rittswood Golf Course. Besides the sudden death playoff win over Blackhawk, the Planets' closest matches this season were a four-stroke win over Pine-Richland and a five-stroke win over North Allegheny at Rose Ridge.

"I never get nervous when I play," Marisa Glew said. "I never thought we'd go undefeated, either. I remember having to make a 10-foot putt to force that third playoff hole.

"I'm hoping to play golf in college someday. It'd be great to be at the same school as Lauren, but if we're not, it'll be OK."

Her sister agreed.

"We've been as close as two people can be, but (college) may be the time we go our separate ways for a while," Lauren Glew said. "I love this game. I wouldn't mind being a club pro someday."

But the sisters have more to accomplish in the meantime.

"Like finishing 1-2 in the WPIAL tournament," Marisa Glew said. "That's a nice thought."

And winning the WPIAL team championship.

"It can happen," she added. "This program is just beginning."