Richmond’s women’s golf team improved its performance in the second round of the NCAA Regionals on May 12, as junior Maya Beasley and seniors Hannah Lydic and Olivia Wilkie recorded the team’s lowest scores at Finley Golf Club. The Spiders shot a combined 17-over par (297), which was a ten-shot improvement from their first-round score, keeping them in 11th place on the team leaderboard at 44-over par (604).
The improvement is significant for Richmond, as matching or improving their position could equal or surpass last year’s best finish at an NCAA Regional. If the team moves up one spot in Wednesday’s final round, it would mark Richmond’s first top-10 finish in program history.
Beasley played her first eleven holes at one under par and finished with a two-over-par 72, ten shots better than her previous round. She moved up seven places on the individual leaderboard into a tie for 57th at fourteen over par (154). “I would say I had way more confidence out there today and let a lot of the expectations loose,” said Beasley after her round.
Wilkie improved by twelve shots compared to Monday with a four-over-par 74. She offset seven bogeys with three birdies to move into 63rd place overall. “I do think the conditions for scoring were a bit easier today, so that definitely helped,” said Wilkie. “I also had a better understanding of the course. Hannah and I didn’t get to play a practice round, so I definitely felt more comfortable out there today after seeing the course yesterday.”
Lydic remained Richmond’s top performer individually with another four-over-par 74, tying for thirty-sixth place at seven over par (147). Freshman Addie Doroh contributed with a seven-over-par 77 to stand tied for fiftieth overall, while sophomore Katie Magner posted her second consecutive eight-over-par round to tie for sixty-first.
Richmond will begin its third and final round Wednesday morning from the tenth tee.
