By Cameron Mitchell / The Jambar
Despite temperatures below 30 degrees Fahrenheit, the Youngstown State University women’s golf team stayed hot at the YSU Spring Invitational on April 6-7 at the Avalon Golf & Country Club in Warren.
YSU held a 10-stroke advantage over second-place Bucknell University heading into the final day of the invitational April 7. The team’s score of 287 was tied for the fourth-lowest 18-hole performance in program history.
Junior Maddi Shoults finished the day three-under-par with a score of 69, which helped Youngstown State take a 10-stroke lead in the tournament.
Shoults finished her round with zero bogeys, 15 pars and three birdies as she shot a 34 — two under par on the back nine.
Junior Adena Rugola said the team maximizes its time by practicing in similar weather.
“The past week we were able to spend as much time as we could on the course which helped us understand and make necessary adjustments for the tournament,” Rugola said.
During Day One, sophomore Neeranuch Prajunpanich and senior Lizzie Saur each shot an even-par round of 72, which tied them both for second place following the opening round.
Prajunpanich’s Day One included 14 pars and a pair of birdies, while Saur shot eight pars and five birdies.
Freshman Valentina Peña Anaya was tied for fifth place after she recorded a two-over-par 74 — it included 12 pars and two birdies. On the back nine, Peña Anaya finished with a 34, which is two-under-par.
Freshman Sofia Perez Escarcena tied for 14th after a first-round 77, while freshman Bella Saur placed 27th after she shot a final score of 82.
As individuals, freshman Taylor Morrone carded a first-found 89, while freshman Sophia Rivera finished with a 93.
YSU headed into Day Two with the top three spots in the tournament. The team matched the single-season school record with its fifth tournament victory of the season at the invitational.
Youngstown State finished the tournament with a team score of 582, which ranks as the third lowest 36-hole performance in program history.
The Penguins opened the event April 6 with a one-under-par team score of 287. The following day, they etched a 295 in the final session to finish at six-over-par as a team.
Bucknell finished 14 shots behind YSU in second place with 596, while St. Francis University placed third with 606. Duquesne University finished fourth with a 623, while Mercyhurst University rounded out the top five.
YSU finished with three of the top four finishers in individual leaderboard as Prajunpanich and Peña Anaya each finished at even par to share medals.
Prajunpanich dropped a two-round score of 144 to earn her fourth first-place finish of the season.
Peña Anaya matched her career-low round with a two-under-par 70 in the final round. The freshman’s first-round 70 included 12 pars and four birdies.
Youngstown State will proceed with its spring schedule April 12-13 with the Therese Hession Buckeye Invitational at The Ohio State University Golf Club in Columbus.