Sept. 24, 2017
University Park, Pa. - The Penn State women's golf team concluded the Nittany Lion Invitational at the Penn State Blue Course with a second-place finish out of the 14-team field, falling short by just three strokes.
"I said in the very beginning before it even started, I knew this wouldn't be a cake walk. I knew we had some competition here and it's nice when you do," said Head Coach Denise St. Pierre, "Unfortunately, it stings a little bit when you come up a little short, but at the same time I'm hoping there's some lessons we pull out of this and it makes us a better team in the future."
Penn State saw improvement from last year's score, 885 (plus-21), finishing this year with a three-round score of 866 (plus-2).
Sophomore Maddy Herr (New Hope, Pa.) marked the first top-three finish in her collegiate career, tied for individual second-place with a three-round score of two-under 214. Herr was able to bounce back from her two bogeys in the front nine of the third round with two birdies in the back nine.
"She has trusted the process, she has followed through and now she's seen these results," said Coach St. Pierre.
Junior Cara Basso (Downingtown, Pa.) moved up from her fourth-place slot yesterday to join Herr in second place. Basso recorded a total of 10 birdies between the three rounds, and finished rounds one and three one-under 71.
Junior Jackie Rogowicz (Yardley, Pa.) tied Basso in birdies leaving her with a top ten finish, tied for eighth. Rogowicz shot a 218 (plus-2) for the tournament and had a low round score of one-under 71 in the second round.
Junior Lauren Waller (Canonsburg, Pa.) and sophomore Ashni Dhruva (Katy, Tx.) both finished tied for 20th with three-round scores of 224 (plus-8). Waller went one-over 73 in the first two rounds while Dhruva achieved a new low-round score of 72 second. This Dhruva's first top 20 finish in her collegiate career.
The University of Maryland took first place over the Nittany Lions with one-under 863 in three rounds. Laura van Respaille was the top finisher for Maryland landing an individual first-place finish by two strokes with a four-under 212.
The ladies will return to the course next Friday at the Betty Lou Evans Invitational, hosted by the University of Kentucky, October 6-8.