Pikunas Leads, Records Fall, Zips Fifth at Cardinal Classic

Monday, September 18

The Players Club | Yorktown, IN

All Day

University of Akron

Ball State Cardinal Classic

Pikunas Leads, Records Fall, Zips Fifth at Cardinal Classic

September 18 | Women's Golf

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Yorktown, Ind. – After 36 holes of the Ball State Cardinal Classic, freshman Jacinta Pikunas (Youngstown, Ohio) leads the field as the Akron Zips women's golf team ranks fifth overall with a 588 (+12) total. In addition, Pikunas set a pair of school standards at The Players Club Golf Course en route to the best two-round team total in program history on Monday.

Records started to fall during the first round as Pikunas fired an all-time best 6-under par 66 score, while climbing to the top of the 100-player leader board. The record-breaking performance included 10 pars, seven birdies, and a bogey. Pikunas replaced the old mark of 69 (-3) set during the 2015-16 season by Frida Fougburg (2016) and current teammate Danielle Nicholson (Geneva, Ohio).

Pikunas followed with an even-par 72 effort on the second 18-hole round. She posted 14 par scores with a pair of birdies and bogeys en route to another all-time best mark. Her two-round total of 138 (-6) topped Nicholson's record-breaking 140 (-4) performance that won the 2016 Mid-American Conference championship. Pikunas currently leads the field with the 6-under ledger.

Nicholson followed in team scoring with a 146 (+2) tournament total. She is tied for 16^th overall after an opening round 4-over par (76) effort. Nicholson bounced back during the second round of play with five birdies for a 2-under 70 total.

Freshman Abbie Pearce (Green, Ohio) had a strong showing in her second-career collegiate tournament. The newcomer fired rounds of 75 (+3) and 76 (+4) for a 151 (+8) total. She is currently tied for 38^th overall.

Senior Pader Her (Holt, Mich.) and sophomore Allyson Wentworth (Stewartsville, N.J.) rounded out the Zips' scoring. Her recorded a 154 (+10) score, while Wentworth added a 156 (+12) performance.

The Zips carded rounds of 297 (+9) and 291 (+3) for the best two-round total in UA history. Akron trails fourth-best Southern Illinois (586, +10) by two strokes. Indianapolis leads the team scoring with a 569 (-7) team total, while Bradley (576, E) and Toledo (580, +4) are second and third, respectively.

Tuesday's final round shotgun start is scheduled for 9 a.m. Akron will start on holes 4-7 with Pikunas (No. 4), Nicholson (No.5), Pearce (No. 6B), Her (No. 6A), and Wentworth (No. 7). Fans can follow the action via GolfStat Live Scoring.

Top 5 Teams
1. Indianapolis, 283-286 – 569 (-7)
2. Bradley, 284-292 – 576 (E)
3. Toledo, 291-289 – 580 (+4)
4. Southern Illinois, 297-289 – 586 (+10)
5. Akron, 297-291 – 588 (+12)

Top 10 Players
1 Jacinta Pikunas, Akron, 66-72 – 138 (-6)
2 Kennedy Holtsclaw, Indianapolis, 73-68 – 141 (-3)
T3 Kylie Raines, Indianapolis, 69-73 - 142 (-2)
T3 Pimchanok Kawil, Toledo, 71-71 – 142 (-2)
T3 Pilar Echeverria, Indianapolis, 70-72 – 142 (-2)
T3 Ally Scaccia Bradley, 68-74 – 142 (-2)
7 Morgan Nadaline, Ball State, 70-73 – 143 (-1)
T8 Claire Hernandez, Western Michigan, 70-74 – 144 (E)
T8 Chloe Horton, Bradley, 71-73 – 144 (E)
T8 Sophie Kelner, Cleveland State, 72-72 – 144 (E)
T8 Pinyada Kuvanun, Toledo, 72-72 – 144 (E)
T8 Saranlak Tumfong, Toledo, 72-72 – 144 (E)
T8 Moyea Russell, Southern Illinois, 72-72 – 144 (E)

T5 Akron, 297-291 – 588 (+12)
1. Jacinta Pikunas , 66-72 – 138 (-6)
T16. Danielle Nicholson, 76-70 – 146 (+2)
T38 Abbie Pearce, 75-76 – 151 (+7)
T54 Pader Her, 80-74 – 154 (+10)
T66 Allyson Wentworth, 81-75 – 156 (+12)