Women’s Golf Advances to Semifinal Round with 3-2 Win Over Illinois State

Monday, February 3

ROYAL LAKES COURSE | LAKEWOOD RANCH, FL

18 Holes

University of Akron

MAC Match Play Challenge

Photo by: Ernie Aranyosi

Women’s Golf Advances to Semifinal Round with 3-2 Win Over Illinois State

February 03 | Women's Golf

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Lakewood Ranch, Fla. – The Akron Zips women's golf team defeated Illinois State 3-2 in the quarterfinal round of the Mid-American Conference Match Play Challenge on Monday afternoon at Lakewood Ranch Golf and Country Club.

The Zips received a bye into the afternoon round and squared-off against Illinois State who defeated Ohio 4-0-1 in the morning flight. Sophomore Jacinta Pikunas (Youngstown, Ohio) along with freshmen Jennifer David (Hudson, Ohio) and Riley Dean (Lewis Center, Ohio) secured the individual wins for Akron.

Pikunas earned a 2&1 win over Morgan Savage. Pikunas led by as many as four holes by No. 11, but dropped to a one-hole advantage by the end of the sixteenth hole. Pikunas bounced back with a win on No. 17 to end the match.

David won her match in dominant fashion, posting a 6&5 victory over Emma Rouger. David opened the round with a five-hole advantage before heading into the back-9. Rouger narrowed the margin by one hole on No. 10, but David immediately recovered on hole No. 11 and increased the lead to 6up to and the match on hole No. 13.

Also earning a win for Akron was Dean as she defeated Emma Sutton 3&2. Dean established an early 1up advantage and led by as many as 4up before Sutton cut into the lead on holes No. 14 and 15. Entering hole No. 16 with a 2up advantage, Dean pushed the lead back to 3up to end the match.

Sophomore Ivana Shah (Mumbai, India) and freshman Jessica Hahn (Canton, Ohio) dropped their matches 1-down and 2-down, respectively. Both, Shah and Hahn were tied with their opponents by hole No. 14. Shah fell behind by two holes after No. 16, but battled back on No. 17 only to play even on No. 18 as ISU's Paige Seiser held on for the win. Hahn fell 1-down on No. 15 and halved holes No. 16 and 17 before falling on No. 18 to ISU's Becca Black.

The Zips are scheduled to play top-seeded Florida Gulf Coast in the semifinal round on Tuesday morning. The action is scheduled to begin at 7:50 a.m. from hole No.1 with seven-minute intervals. Pikunas will lead the way at 7:50 a.m. followed by Dean (7:57), Hahn (8:04), Shah (8:11) and David (8:18). If the Zips win, they are scheduled to play the winner of the Western Illinois and Morehead State. Fans can follow the match via Golf Stat Live Scoring.