University of Richmond
Day One - 36 Holes
Spiders Women's Golf Claims Tournament Title
10/14/2015 | Women's Golf
Richmond women's golf claimed its first tournament title since April of 2013 by winning the Whistling Straits Intercollegiate, hosted by Loyola University Chicago. The Spiders were the one team that were able to manage the rough conditions, with temperatures in the high 50's and wind gusts from 20-40 miles per hour on the par-72, 6,100 layout of the Meadows Valley Course. Richmond finished at 103-over par (318 – 321 – 328 987), 13 shots better than second-place Wofford of the nine-team field.
The last Spiders tournament victory came at the Pinehurst Challenge, on April 2, 2013.
Despite the high scores, the Spiders had the third-best team round in the first 18 holes, and the best team score in rounds two and three for the victory. Richmond was six shots better than any other team in round two Monday and led the field with 134 total pars. Three Spiders finished in the Top 10 of the 50-player field.
“We played a really difficult golf course and the pin set-up was the hardest it could be with the wind out there today,” said Richmond head coach Ali Wright. “Our team showed we had grind, grit and determination out there. When it's hard to score, you have to think of par as much higher than on the card, and we did a good job of that today. It would have been easy to just let the rough conditions get you down, but they stood strong and showed they were competitors.”
Sophomore Elsa Diaz (San Antonio, Texas) was the top finisher for the Spiders in the tournament, taking fifth overall in the 50-player field at 27-over (79 – 78 – 86 243). She finished with four birdies for her three rounds. And was tied for second in the field with a +12 combined score on the par-four holes for the three rounds.
Freshman Isabella Rusher (Salisbury, North Carolina) was one stroke behind Diaz in a two-way tie for sixth place at 28-over par (81 – 81 – 82 244). She led all players in the field with an 11-over par score on the par-four holes for the 56-hole tournament.
Two shots behind Rusher was Richmond senior Jessica Lydia (Jakarta, Indonesia), who posted a 30-over par (80 – 80 – 86 246) score to tie for ninth. Her 32 pars led all players for the tournament, and she was tied for second with a plus-one aggregate score on the par-five holes for the week.
Just outside of the Top 10 in the field was freshman Annie Collom (Davidson, North Carolina), with a 31-over (78 – 82 – 87 247) score. Only four players had a lower first round than did Collom, when she posted 12 pars and three bogeys per nine holes. She finished with a pair of birdies for the week.
Freshman Sophie DiPetrillo (Dover, Massachusetts) was fighting flu-like symptoms and had to withdraw from round-two action due to illness. In Monday's final round, she posted the best round of any player in any round with a two-over 74. She posted a birdie and just three bogeys to go with 14 pars, the most in any round this week.
“Our three freshmen are starting to feel more comfortable competing right now and they are contributing to our overall results,” added Wright “Jessica is continuing to play well and post high finishes. Sophie's round today was clutch. It felt like it took all 11 members of the team to push us to the win, not just the ones in the tournament. I am proud of all of them.”
The Spiders will have a short turnaround before their final fall tournament, next Monday and Tuesday at the Cardinal Cup, hosted by Louisville out in Simpsonville, Kentucky.
Players Mentioned
