March 19, 2012
PINEHURST, N.C. - The Penn State women's golf team sits in a tie for fifth place out of 17 teams after the first two rounds of the Pinehurst Challenge, hosted by the College of Charleston, on Monday. The Nittany Lions tallied a 17-over-par two-round score of 593 (305-288) on the par-72, 5,993-yard Course No. 6 at the Pinehurst Resort.
The Nittany Lions posted an even-par 288 in the second round, setting a new school record for the best round all-time. The score was two strokes better than the previous best of 290, which was recorded at the Mid-West Classic on Feb. 21, 1998. The cumulative score of 593 is the third-best two-round score in school history.
Junior Emily Ransone (Hilliard, Ohio) led the Nittany Lions with a 3-over-par 147 (79-68) and finished the day in a tie for 13th place. Ransone's 4-under-par score of 68 in the second round marked a new career-best and was one stroke behind Penn State's all-time best round of 67 set by Katie Futcher in 2002. Freshman Elyse Archambault (St-Jean-sur-Rich, Que.) equaled Ransone's 147 with rounds of 76 and 71, setting a career-best round of her own. Her previous best round was a 75, which she recorded three times.
Sophomore Christina Vosters (Bethany Beach, Del.) is tied for 23rd as she finished one stroke behind the Nittany Lion leaders and matched her career-best round of 72 in the second round. Junior Jamie Lavin (Deerfield, Ill.) and freshman Katlyn Elliott (Peterborough, Ont.) rounded out the Penn State starters. Lavin carded an 8-over-par two-round score of 152 (74-78) and finished in a tie for 44th place, while Elliott tallied a 158 (81-77) and is tied for 69th place.
North Carolina State notched a 5-under-par 571 (286-285) through two rounds and concluded the first day in first place. The Wolfpack's Vivian Tsui holds the individual lead as she recorded a 4-under-par 140 (72-68).
The final round of play will tee off on Tuesday (March 20) with a shotgun start at 8:45 a.m.