Chippewas Second After Day 1 In Kentucky

Monday, March 22

Prospect, Ky./Nevel Meade Golf Club

9 a.m.

Central Michigan University

Cleveland State Nevel Meade Collegiate

Photo by: Jose Juarez

3/22/2021 10:47:00 PM | Women's Golf

Five CMU golfers among the top 20 in 71-player field

By: Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com

PROSPECT, Ky. – A good first round, a better second round, and the Central Michigan golf team is in second place after 36 holes of the Nevel Meade Collegiate at Nevel Meade Golf Course.

Ashley Goh and Padgett Chitty both shot 1-over 73 and Zoe Vartyan carded a 74 in the second round as the Chippewas posted a 296 team total. The Chippewas shot 306 in the opening round and take a 602 total into Tuesday's final round, which is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m.

They trail first-place Youngstown State (589) by 13 shots, and they lead third-place Purdue Fort Wayne (604) by two. Eleven teams comprise the field.

"We might have left too many strokes on the golf course to catch the No. 1 team," CMU coach Jim Earle said. "It was a really good effort to respond with that 296 and to be honest, that 296 really could have been 286, but we left strokes out there as well.

"The greens are tiny and very undulated, and I think our lost strokes out there were around the greens. They're very difficult to chip to and once you start missing greens, it can get pretty stressful. I think if we're a little bit more tidy with our short game (on Tuesday) we could have a scary-low number.

"We know we've got a really, really good day in us if we can bring it out tomorrow morning."

The Chippewas continued their strong start to the 2021 season that has seen them win match-play events in their last two competitions after they set a number of team and individual records in finishing fifth at the 11-team Mid-American Conference Challenge six weeks ago.

Their second-round 296 on Monday ranks as the fourth-best 18-hole score and their 602 is the second-best 36-hole score since the program's resurrection in 2014-15.

Vartyan, who opened with a 74, stands in seventh place on the leaderboard with a 4-over 148 total. Chitty, who opened with a 76, is one shot behind and in a tie for eighth place at 149. Danae Rugola of Youngstown State leads the tournament after shooting 76-68 -- 144.

CMU's Meghan Deardorff posted a pair of 76s for a 152 total and is among a group tied for 11^th along with CMU senior Jami Laude (76-76), who is playing unattached. The field comprises 71 players.

Goh bounced back from an uncharacteristic 80 in the first round and is at 153 and among a group tied for 17^th. Chippewa freshman Rachel Kauflin shot 82-80--162. CMU's Mackenzie Baustad, playing unattached, shot 83-75 – 158.