Spiders Win Navy Fall Invitational

Saturday, October 2

Annapolis, MD

8:40 AM

University of Richmond

Navy Fall Invitational

10/03/2021 | Women's Golf

RESULTS

ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- Entering the final round of the Navy Fall Invitational with a one-shot lead, the Richmond Spiders women's golf team knew every shot would count Sunday at the Naval Academy Golf Course. But maybe not quite like this.

The Spiders finished the 36-hole tournament at 607 (+31), tied with Sacred Heart for best in the 13-team field. Richmond won the championship tiebreaker by virtue of its fifth team score Sunday, an 81 (+9) from senior Naomi Mitchell. Sacred Heart's fifth golfer shot 82 (+10), giving the Spiders the team title by the narrowest possible margin. (A team is comprised of five golfers, and a team's score for a tournament round is the total of its four lowest scores.)

"I'm really proud of the team for getting a win, especially at the course where we will play for the conference championship," said coach Calle Barlow. (The 2022 Patriot League Championship will be played at Naval Academy Golf Course on April 15-17.) "We learned a lot about the course and I think we know what we need to improve on for conference," said Barlow.

The victory was the team's first since it shared the title at the 2019 Bucknell Spring Break Intercollegiate. It's the Spiders first win in an event with more than six teams since winning the 15-team Bill Berg Invitational in October 2017.

The Spiders were led by freshman Lauren Jones, who shot 72 (E) Sunday and finished the event at 145 (+1), placing second in the field of 76. She made 26 pars over the weekend, two more than any other player in the field. "It was great to see Lauren play so well and get a runner-up in her first college semester," said Barlow. Jones is the first Spider to finish first or second in an event with a field this large since September 2017, when Elsa Diaz won the Boston College Intercollegiate.

Sophomore Rory Weinfurther joined Jones in the top five, shooting 75 (+3) Sunday and finishing tied for fifth place at 149 (+5). It was Weinfurther's third career top-five finish, joining her runner-up finish at the 2021 Kingsmill Spring Intercollegiate and her win at the 2021 Patriot League Championship.

Junior Vicky Zhu tied for 21st at 156 (+12), one shot in front of senior Emily Ward, who tied for 23rd at 157 (+13). Mitchell tied for 36th at 161 (+17), with her 81 (+9) Sunday giving Richmond the tiebreaker win over Sacred Heart.

The key to Richmond's win was the Spiders ability to avoid big numbers -- UR's 105 pars were three more than any other team. Richmond also played the par-5s in 3-over par, best in the field and eight shots better than runner-up Sacred Heart.

Playing as an individual, freshman Christine Mandile tied for 45th after shooting her second-straight 82 (+10) Sunday to finish at 164 (+20).

The Spiders have one more event remaining this fall: the Lady Blue Hen Invitational in Rehoboth Beach, Del. on October 16-17.