By Dylan Lux / The Jambar
Over the month of March, the Youngstown State University women’s golf team has seen continued success — including its fourth victory of the season.
Starting off the month, the Penguins traveled to Gainesville, Florida, for the Howard University Invitational. Teams from all over the East Coast participated in the invite, including schools from Maryland, North Carolina, Massachusetts and New Jersey.
The ’Guins started out hot on the course, taking the No. 1 overall spot through Round One, with a 14-over-par score. Close behind was Queens University of Charlotte at 16-over-par and the hosting Bison with 23-over-par.
Round Two was all for the Bison and Lions, as Howard finished with a 288 at just four-over-par, while Queens finished at seven-over-par for the second round of play.
YSU struggled in the round, finishing with a 305 total score — 21-over-par. Alabama State University finished in third at 13-over-par.
In the final round, Youngstown State improved on its score from Round Two, with a 19-over-par. Queens and Howard controlled the round yet again, with Round Three finishes of 289 and 291, respectively.
Overall, the Penguins finished in third place behind the second-place Howard Bison and the first-place Queens-Charlotte Lions. YSU had a final score of 54-over-par. Queens and Howard had 28-over-par and 34-over-par, respectively.
Individually, the ’Guins finished with three of the top 11 finishers at the invitational. Sophomore Neeranuch Prajunpanich finished in sixth place with a three-round score of 224.
Freshman Valentina Peña Anaya placed ninth with a 227 total and freshman Sofia Perez Escarcena finished 11th, totaling a 229.
Nearly three weeks later, Northern Kentucky University hosted its annual invitational, The Julie, in Batavia.
Six Horizon League teams competed in The Julie, which made up half of the 12-team field. Indiana University Indianapolis, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, University of Detroit Mercy, Purdue University Fort Wayne, YSU and NKU all took part in the event.
The Penguins yet again found themselves in first place after Round One, tied with Lindenwood University at a total score of 317. Green Bay and Glenville State University were hot on the leaders’ heels as the Phoenix finished the round at 319 and the Pioneers at 321.
YSU finished second in Round Two behind IU Indy, but the Jaguars’ 299 second-round total wasn’t enough to propel them to the lead. The Penguins held on to garner their fourth victory of the season.
Youngstown State finished the second round with a 20-over-par score, bringing their two-round score to 53-over-par — eight strokes ahead of second-place Lindenwood at 61-over-par. The Jaguars would finish in third at 64-over-par.
Prajunpanich nabbed her third first-place finish this season at The Julie, netting a two-round score of 151. The sophomore now has five top-10 finishes out of eight events this season.
Next up for the ’Guins is the YSU Spring Invitational on April 6-7 at the Avalon Golf & Country Club in Warren.
