Bucknell Women’s Golf hosted the Bucknell Invitational on Friday, Sept. 5. The Orange and Blue took first place. Katherine Vice ’27 took first place individually, and Joelle Johnson ’29 took second place in her collegiate debut. The Bison took the win with six players in the top-10 individual scoring.
After the first day of the Invitational, the Orange and Blue held a five-stroke team lead, shooting 297. The Bison held the lead out of 17 teams, and their 297 is tied for the sixth-best for a single round in program history. Vice ’27 sat in the co-lead after shooting a 72(+2) career-low round at the Bison’s par-70 Bucknell Golf Club. Vice played a polished round with 14 pars and a birdie on hole five, which served as the seventh-hardest hole on the course for round one. Johnson tied for third place with a 73(+3) in her first round of collegiate golf. Johnson made 13 pars and one birdie on hole 12, the fourth-hardest hole of the round. Sophia Bardunias ’28 tied for 12th shooting 75, and Katrina von Behren ’28 shot a 77 to put her in 21st. Nicole Yun ’27 shot 79. All the Bison’s top five players broke 80.
The Orange and Blue has two teams; the second group placed ninth with a 320. Caroline Zeiger ’29 carded a 77. Paige Richter ’26 shot a 78. Darcy Wright ’29 shot an 82 in her collegiate debut, Lila Smith ’27 shot an 83 and Erin Drahnak ’26 recorded a 90.
On day two of the Invitational, the Bison continued their strong performance with four scores of 74 or below and posting a 293 team score— just one short of the school record. The Bison still made program history with their 590 total through 36 holes. Johnson topped her opening round 73 with a 72 on day two. Three other Bison placed in the top 11 of 107 after day two. Vice tied for seventh place posting a 77. Von Behren and Yun both recorded 74s, putting von Behren tied at 11 and Yun at 18. Bucknell’s second team put up a 302 on day two. Smith posted a 72, and Richter posted a 73 to put her tied with von Behren.
Day three concluded with record-setting performances from the Orange and Blue. The Bison took first place by 33 strokes, crushing the 54-hole team record with an 885 total for the tournament. Vice won the Bucknell Invitational in a playoff, and Johnson took second. Six Bison finished in the top-10 in the individual field.
On Sunday, Vice shot a team low 71, which is also a career-low for the sophomore. Vice and Johnson both finished the day at 10-over par for the tournament to cause a playoff. Vice took her first career tournament win on the second playoff hole. Bardunias and Von Behren tied for fourth, going 75-73-75 and 77-74-74, respectively. Yun finished in 23rd. For the Bison’s second squad, Smith and Richter both finished top-10.
The Bison will compete in the Battle of the Creek at King’s Creek Country Club starting Mon, Sept. 15.
