Vanessa Picciotto Perrine Memorial Intercollegiate Final Results
LITTLESTOWN, Pa. -- Led by sophomore Carolina Ronchel, the LIU Brooklyn women's golf team won in the Vanessa Picciotto Perrine Intercollegiate Tournament, hosted by NEC foe Wagner, at Quail Valley Golf Course in Littlestown, Pennsylvania on Monday.
The Blackbirds scored +50 as a team over two rounds for a 626 (315-311), to beat Columbia by one stroke (627), as the Lions scored a 307 on Monday, following a 320 on day one. There were six teams in the field, including the host, Wagner (66-over), Saint Francis U., St. Francis Brooklyn and LaSalle. It marks the first time this season, and first time for head coach Lois Kim that LIU brought home the top prize at an event.
Besides the team as a whole, it is also became Ronchel's first career win, after notching a second place finish at the Lonnie Barton a few weeks ago. Ronchel had the low score each day, with a 2-over 74 on Sunday and a 1-over 73 in Monday's round. In the final round, Ronchel had two birdies and 13 pars, including eight straight on the back nine. She walked away with the win in the field of 31 golfers, beating Qingyi Symba Xu of Columbia by five strokes.
Senior Aida Gonzalez, who had five birdies in two rounds, was the second finisher for the Blackbirds with a 158 (80-78) in a tie for ninth place, followed by her classmate Lauren Rutherglen, two strokes behind with a pair of 80s (T-11th/160), while sophomore Rebeca Pardos was next with (81-81/162), tied for 13th place. Junior Sara Ciliberto rounded out LIU's team championship with a 167 (87-80), putting her in 18th place individually.
The Wagner Invitational was renamed in Vanessa Picciotto Perrine's honor, just this year.
NEXT UP
The Blackbirds have two remaining events before the Northeast Conference Championships, when they travel to Port Washington, Long Island this coming weekend to play in the St. John's Shootout on Friday, April 13 against both the Red Storm and the Seahawks. Then on Saturday, LIU will face Wagner head-to-head as both teams play in their final tuneup before the NECs on April 19-22 in Daytona Beach, Fla.