SWOSU, NSU, UCO in mix at NCAA Central Region Championship
CHARLES, Mo. – Elin Wahlin of Southwestern Oklahoma State shot a two-under 70 in her first round on Monday at the NCAA Central Region Championship, as the Lady Bulldogs sit in third place as a team and just three strokes behind the leader after day one.
Nine strokes separate six teams after 18 holes in St. Charles, Missouri – three of which are Great American Conference teams including the Lady Dawgs. Fellow conference foe Arkansas Tech leads the field after the first round, with spots two through five all one stroke behind each other.
Wahlin is pacing the field with her score of 70 (-2), followed by Glora Choi who sits tied for 13th after shooting a three-over 75. Emily Folsom and Chloe Thackeray finished separated by one stroke with scores of 79 (+7) and 80 (+8) respectively. Tracy McGill rounded out the team with an 87 (+15) in her first round.
Northeastern State’s Kelsey Lumpkin fired an opening round two over par 74 as the RiverHawks sit in sixth place after the first day at the NCAA Division II Super Region 3 championships at the Missouri Bluffs here Monday.
Only nine shots separate the RiverHawks from first place Arkansas Tech who carded team score of 301. Augustana is second at 302, Southwestern Oklahoma State is third at 304, Lindenwood is fourth at 305 and Henderson State at 306.
Lumpkin’s 74 has her tied for ninth place, Sumie Francois carded a five over par 77 is tied for 19th, Lexi Armon finished at seven over par 79 and Ebba Moberg carded an eight over par 80 and Halie Wright rounded out the NSU line up with a nine over par 81.
Northeastern State is making its ninth straight NCAA Division II Regional tournament appearance and will tee off the second round on Tuesday with the final round to Wednesday.
Makena Mucciaccio shot a 77 to pace Central Oklahoma on the first day of the NCAA Division II Central Regional here Monday.
The Bronchos finished with a 313 total and are in eighth place in the 12-team tournament. Arkansas Tech leads the 12-team field at 301, followed by Augustana (302), Southwestern Oklahoma (304), Lindenwood (305) and Henderson State (308).
The Bronchos start teeing off at 9:50 a.m. Tuesday in the second round of the three-day, 54-hole tournament at the 6,084-yard, par-72 Missouri Bluffs Golf Club. The top three teams advance to the NCAA Division II Women’s Golf Championships along with the first three individuals not on a qualifying team.
Four of Central’s five players broke 80 in the opening round, with Mucciaccio’s 77 leaving her tied for 19th in the individual standings. Yuna Sato had a 78, while Marla Souvannasing and Sydney Roberts both shot 79 and J.T. Neuzil had an 81.
Mucciaccio birdied the par-3 sixth hole en route to shooting a front-nine 38 before bogeying Nos. 11 and 12. She got a stroke back with a birdie on the par-5 15th, then finished par-bogey-par for a closing 39.
Sato was four-over after three holes before rallying with a couple of birdies in making the turn at two-over 37. The freshman was sidetracked by a triple bogey on the par-5 12th hole, but played the last six holes one-over to come in with a 41.
Souvannasing, playing in her fourth regional tournament, had a pair of bogeys in making the turn at two-over 37. She was still two-over after a birdie on the par-4 14th, but was five-over on the last five holes in finishing with a back-nine 42.
Roberts got off to a rough start and was four-over after just two holes, but she was one-over the next seven holes in turning at 42. The sophomore rebounded with an even-par 37 on the back, offsetting a lone bogey with a birdie on the par-4 13th.
Neuzil made the turn at 39, then double bogeyed No. 10 en route to a back-nine 42.
Team scores
1 Arkansas Tech 301 +13
2 Augustana University-SD 302 +14
3 SW Oklahoma State 304 +16
4 Lindenwood Univer. 305 +17
5 Henderson State 306 +18
6 Northeastern State 310 +22
7 Missouri Western St. 312 +24
8 Central Oklahoma 313 +25
9 Central Missouri 315 +27
10 Oklahoma Baptist U. 316 +28
11 Minnesota State 323 +35
12 Nebraska – Kearney 327 +39