TIC-TAC-TOE: Women’s Golf Cruises to Third Straight NE10 Title
CONCORD, N.H. (October 10, 2021) -- It was never in doubt. Overnight leaders by 19 shots, the Franklin Pierce University women's golf team kept the accelerator to the floor on Sunday, at the second day of the Northeast-10 Conference Championship, hosted by Southern New Hampshire. The Ravens turned in a second-round 302 (+14) -- the low team round of the tournament -- to claim their third straight NE10 title by an eye-popping, 51-stroke margin. With the victory, Franklin Pierce claimed the NE10's automatic berth into the NCAA Championship, which will be conducted in the spring. Franklin Pierce saw success on the individual front as well, with two of the top three finishers, including medalist honors for freshman Kesinee Prukmathakul (Bangkok, Thailand).
For the Ravens, not only was it the third straight NE10 Championship, but it marked the program's fourth title overall, which tied Merrimack for most in Conference history. Franklin Pierce and Merrimack are the only two schools to win the NE10 Championship, which was first contested in spring of 2015.
It was a tour de force for the Ravens on Sunday, as they accounted for three of the seven players to break 80 in the 33-player field. Prukmathakul fired the low round of the tournament with a 68 (-4), while junior Alia Godek (Feeding Hills, Mass.) at 73 (+1) and freshman Phisonlaya Ruayruen (Chiangmai, Thailand) at 79 (+7) were both in the 70s. Junior Micaela Leandro (Harlingen, Texas) rounded out the scoring four at 82 (+10), while sophomore Kayla Schuberth (Wrentham, Mass.) filled out the five-player lineup at 87 (+15).
It all added up to just 302 shots for the Ravens -- the best round of the day by 32 shots -- which turned the proceedings into a blowout. Franklin Pierce's 314-302--616 (+40) line was good for a 51-shot victory over runner-up Le Moyne, at 333-334--667 (+91). Assumption was third at 337-334--671 (+95).
On the individual front, Prukmathakul's 68 allowed her to jump from fourth place to the winner's spot, with a final line of 78-68--146 (+2), which was good for a two-shot victory over SNHU senior Anna Casagrande at 76-72--148 (+4). Godek filled out the top three at 78-73--151 (+7).
In the end, Franklin Pierce would put all five players in the top 15. Ruayruen finished seventh with a final line of 79-79--158 (+14), Leandro took 14th at 83-82--165 (+21), and Schuberth was one shot farther back at 79-87--166 (+22) to place 15th.
The Ravens will wrap up the fall portion of their schedule on Oct. 18-19, when they travel to Murfreesboro, Tenn., for the Music City Invitational.