By: Michael Pitts
First Round Results | Second Round Results | Third Round Results
RIO VERDE, Ariz. – The Kennesaw State women's golf team claimed victory in the Rio Verde Invitational after stellar performances led the way in round three Sunday.
The Owls carded a 5-under 283 to add to a tournament score of 1-over 865 and finished 12 strokes ahead of runner-up Xavier. The team had two players finish in the top three and four of the starting five carded even-par or better rounds in round three.
ON THE PODIUM:
Caitlyn Campbell-Nyman took home first place by five strokes in the 92-player field, carding a career-best 5-under 211 after 54 holes. She finished with even-par in both the second and third rounds after shooting 5-under 67 on Friday.
The Rio Verde Invitational marked the best finish of her KSU career and she became the first Owl to earn gold this season. Campbell-Nyman also led all participants in par-4 scoring (3.83) and birdies (14).
Alizee Vidal came in tied for third after posting a 2-under 70 on Sunday, adding to a 54-hole score of 1-over 217. The placement tied the best of her career.
SCORECARD:
Bella Kil finished the tournament tied for seventh with a score of 3-over 219. Kil posted her career-low 6-under 66 in the first round.
She finished tied for first in par-3 scoring with a 2.93 average.
Meva Schmit posted the lowest round of her KSU career with a 2-under 70 in round three. She finished tied for 12th at 7-over 223.
Lara Jecnik finished tied for 19th after a 1-under 71 round three adding to a 10-over 226 score for the tournament.
TOURNEY NOTES:
>> KSU posted the fourth-lowest team tournament score in program history.
>> Kil (66 – round one), Campbell-Nyman (67- round one) and Schmit (70 – round three) all set personal-best single-round low scores in Arizona.
>> The victory was the first in
Erin Thorne's career as head coach of KSU women's golf.
>> The Owls led the field in par-3 scoring (3.08), par-5 scoring (4.93) and birdies (49).
>> The victory marked the fifth consecutive full season the Owls have won a tournament and the fourth consecutive full season an Owl has earned an individual win.
>> This marked the first tournament victory for the Owls since the 2021 ASUN Championships last summer.
THORNE'S THOUGHTS:
"I'm really proud of the team for putting together three solid rounds," head coach
Erin Thorne said. "This is a course I knew they all could go low on."
"It's a big breakthrough for Caitlyn to claim the win as well as the team," Thorne added.
NEXT TEE TIME:
The Owls head to Wallace, N.C. for the River Landing Classic on Monday, March 7 through Tuesday, March 8.
The team will host the Pinetree Women's Collegiate on Monday, March 21 and Tuesday, March 22 at the Pinetree Country Club.
To keep up with the latest Kennesaw State women's golf news follow the team on Twitter
@KSUOwlNation and @
KSUOwlsWmnsGolf or by liking Kennesaw State Owls on
Facebook.
