By Joel Fuzo / The Jambar
The Youngstown State University women’s golf team won its season-opening golf outing at the Mill Creek Golf Course, with the three top-scoring individuals all being Penguins.
Junior Maddie Shoults, a transfer from Ottawa University Arizona claimed medalist honors with a 68, four-under-par, in her first game as a Penguin. Shoults is also a 2023 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Second-Team All-American.
Individually, Shoults finished in second place behind her own teammate, sophomore Neeranuch Prajunpanich. She shot an even-to-par with 72.
In her college debut, freshman Sofia Perez Escarcena placed third as she shot a four-over-par score of 76.
Youngstown State had four more players finish within the top 10 in the season opener.
True freshman Valentina Peña Anaya finished her first outing with a score of 78, the fifth-highest individual placement, while senior Lizzie Saur tied for sixth-place with 79.
Both junior Adena Rugola and true freshman Bella Saur tied for ninth place with 81, topping off all the top 10 players of the tournament.
True freshman Taylor Morrone shot an 82, giving her the 12th place finish and in her first outing, redshirt junior Kelly Hitton had to withdraw from the match due to injury.
The team is currently unaware of the severity of Hitton’s injury, or if it will affect her participation in future matches.
The Penguins posted a single-team score of 305 and finished ahead of the second place team Le Moyne College by 21-strokes and Westminster college who placed third with its team score of 339.
Youngstown State will have its next outing Sept. 14-15 at the Pennsylvania State University Nittany Lion Invitational at the PSU Blue Course in University Park.
The Penguins will return home Sept. 22 to host the Roseann Schwartz Invitational at Mill Creek Golf Course in Boardman.