Kent State Remains in First Place After Day Two of MAC Championship
Marshall, Germino pace Flashes with four-over 76s; Marshall tied for second overall
NASHPORT, Ohio – The Kent State women's golf team didn't play their best round during Saturday's second loop of the Mid-American Conference Championship at Longaberger Golf Club, but the Golden Flashes maintained the lead heading into Sunday's final round.
Kent State started on pace, leading by as much at 15 strokes early on, but as the winds picked up for the Flashes on a wide-open back nine, the team was unable to keep up its early pace.
Eastern Michigan charged up the leader board on Saturday, turning in a team score of 301 and trails the Golden Flashes by five strokes heading into the final day. Sarah Johnson for the Eagles leads the field by six strokes.
Once again, junior Shamira Marshall (Macedonia, Ohio) was tied for the team lead, as she tallied a four-over 76 on Saturday to remain tied for second overall. Marshall benefitted from back-to-back birdies on No. 2 and No. 3; her second shot on the par-4 No. 3 was within two feet of the cup.
Joining Marshall as the top scorer for the Golden Flashes was junior Mercedes Germino (Necochea, Argentina), who shaved five strokes off her first round total for a four-over 76 Saturday. Germino capped off her day with a birdie on the par-4 No. 18.
Senior Sarah Bradley (Cambridge, New Zealand) was a stroke behind Marshall and Germino with a five-over 77. She is now tied for fifth overall with a 10-over 154.
Junior Mandi Morrow (Kent, Ohio) matched her effort from Friday with a six-over 78 and is tied for eighth overall. Senior Martina Gavier (Cordoba, Argentina) was plagued by bogeys on her last two holes to finish with a seven-over 79, but is tied for fifth with Bradley.
Kent State will be in the final pairings Sunday with Eastern Michigan and Ball State, teeing off at 9:20 a.m. from the first tee. The winner of the championship will receive an automatic berth to the NCAA Regionals.
Kent State scores
T2 Shamira Marshall (5) 75-76=151 +7
T5 Martina Gavier (1) 75-79=154 +10
T5 Sarah Bradley (4) 77 -77=154 +10
T8 Mandi Morrow (3) 78-78=156 +12
T13 Mercedes Germino (2) 81-76=157 +13
Team standings
1. Kent State 305-307=612 +36
2 Eastern Michigan 316-301=617 +41
3 Ball State 312-316=628 +52
4 Western Michigan 316-316=632 +56
5 Akron 319-315=634 +58
6 Toledo 321-318=639 +63
7 Ohio 325-316=641 +65
8 Northern Illinois 337-332=669 +93
9 Bowling Green 341-330=671 +95
