Pittsburgh, Pa. – It was a day of firsts for the Duquesne University women's golf program Friday, which launched its NCAA Division I program by playing its first round in school history. Taking part in the Bucknell Fall Invitational in Lewisburg, Pa., the Dukes are tied for ninth out of 13 teams after collecting a score of 316 (+36) in the first round.
OFF WE GO
At 9:02 a.m. off the tee of the 10th hole at Bucknell Golf Club, freshman
Katie Caryl officially launched the first ball for Duquesne and made history. She was followed in the lineup off the same tee by freshman
Abby Slankster, freshman
Paige Meyers, junior
Lindsey Powanda and freshman
Sasha Petrochko. Playing as an individual, freshman
Katie Fodale was the last student-athlete off the tee at the 10th hole at 10:46 a.m., a 180-yard par three.
TWEET DECK
A trio of Dukes registered the first birdie in program history, with each coming on the 15th hole, the second longest on the course at 508 yards and a par five. First up to birdie the hole was Slankster, and she was followed by Meyers and Petrochko, who each also carded a four on the par five. A total of eight student-athletes posted a birdie on the hole during the first round of the Bucknell Fall Invite, three of which were from Duquesne.
FREE AND EASY
Fodale posted the best round for the Dukes Friday while playing as an individual, handing in a 75 (+5) after the first round. She is tied for 12th individually with six other student-athletes. Fodale finished with par on 11 holes in the first round and registered her first NCAA birdie on the sixth hole, a 345-yard par four.
TEAM LEADERBOARD
Penn sits atop the team standings after the first day of action of the Bucknell Fall Invite after posting a 295 (+15). The host Bison are second after a 299 (+19), with Towson (300), Lehigh (301) and Holy Cross (309) rounding out the top five. UAlbany (310) is sixth, followed by LIU (312) and Wagner (314), with LeMoyne and the Dukes tied for ninth at 316.
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Rayab Lee of Towson fired a 71 (+1) in the opening round of the Bucknell Fall Invite Friday to sit atop the individual rankings, a stroke ahead of Debby Chang of Penn and Mia Cepeda of UAlbany. A total of four student-athletes fired a 73, including Tara Thomas, who is playing as an individual for the Bison. Four other players finished with a 74.
THE LINEUP
Following Fodale on the individual leaderboard for the Dukes were Caryl and Petrochko, as each carded a 76 in their NCAA debuts Friday. Petrochko fired three birdies in the opening round. In addition to the one on 15, she also handed in a birdie on both the sixth hole and the ninth, a 486-yard par five. Powanda finished with an 81 Friday, followed by Slankster (83) and Meyers (87). Each member of the Dukes that made school history at the Bucknell Fall Invitational registered at least one birdie in the first round.
UP NEXT
Duquesne will continue play at the Bucknell Fall Invitational Saturday by again teeing off on the 10th hole, with Meyers opening action at 9:30 a.m. for the Dukes. Round three follows Sunday, Sept. 8.
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