The Kent State women’s golf team participated in its first tournament of the spring season at the UCF Challenge in Orlando, Fla. They competed at the Eagle Creek Country Club from Jan 26-28.
16 teams participated in the tournament and the Flashes finished in the middle of the pack at eighth place, scoring a 5-over-par (869). They finished just four strokes behind Florida Gulf Coast University and held an eight-stroke lead over Nebraska. Auburn won the tournament with a team score of 24-under-par (840).
Junior Veronika Kedronova got off to a slow start in round one but climbed to 17th place, posting an even-par (216) as an individual.
Sophomore Petra Babicova started off hot, recording the second-highest individual score on the team with a 1-over-par (217) to tie for 24th. Despite falling later in the tournament, she was crucial for the Flashes.
After Babicova, senior Leon Takagi and sophomore Isabella Goyette tied for 30th by each scoring 2-over-par (218). These two wrapped the team scoring and placed them in the top half of the field.
Gracie Larsen, a sophomore out of Australia, carded a 12-over-par (228) and struggled a bit despite a strong second round.
Lastly, sophomore Aryn Matthews competed as an individual and did not count toward the team’s score, as she finished in 68th. She bounced back from a 6-over-par (78) in round two and finished with a 10-over-par (226).
Round 1
The Flashes completed round one in the middle of the pack at eighth place with a 4-over-par (292). Babicova led the team with a one-under-par (71), followed by Goyette, who recorded an even-par (72), and ended the round tied at 23rd.
Takagi had a steady round with a one-over-par (73), and Kedronova carded a 4-over-par (76) to wrap up the team scoring. Tied for 74th were Larsen and Matthews, who both scored 5-over-par (77).
Surrounded by an impressive group of competitors, Kent State looked towards round two to climb up the ranks.
Round 2
The team bounced back from the first round, scoring a two-under-par (286) and landing in seventh. Kedronova and Takagi led the second round with the latter earning a 2-under-par (70), and Kedronova scoring one-under-par (71).
Babicova scored an impressive eagle on the 13th hole and an even-par (72) in the round. Goyette recorded a one-over-par (73), while Larsen worked to a one-over-par (73) and Matthews posted a 6-over-par (78).
Sitting only a stroke behind USF and Baylor, the Flashes rebounded from their first round and now carried some momentum moving into round three.
Round 3
The third round was the slowest round for the Flashes as they fell back to eighth in the tournament standings, shooting 3-over-par as a team (291). Kedronova led the way, posting a 3-under-par (69), followed by Goyette with a 1-over-par (73) and Babicova with a 2-over-par (74).
Takagi rounded out the team scoring with a 3-over-par (75). Larsen posted a 6-over-par (78), and Matthews as an individual bounced back with a one-under-par (71).
KSU was unable to capitalize on its momentum from round two; however, they had an impressive outing at the UCF Challenge.
Up Next
The next stop for KSU is at the Spartan Suncoast Collegiate Invitational in Sarasota, Fla. from Feb. 15-16, looking to build upon their first outing of the spring season.
