UNG Women's Golf Rallies Again, Sits In Second Place At Savannah Lakes Fall Invitational
MCCORMICK, S.C. – The University of North Georgia women's golf team battled through adversity in the opening two rounds of the Savannah Lakes Fall Invitational on Monday. The Nighthawks overcame 18 bogeys and two double-bogeys on the front nine in the first round of the tournament to claw their way to a second place standing after 36 holes.
UNG trails No. 12 Lee by eight shots and sits six shots ahead of No. 19 Lander.
Head coach Sierra Campbell's team is perhaps showing an impressive character trait early in the 2024-25 season. In her team's opening tournament of the year, Campbell's squad battled back from multiple strokes down in the final round to land an impressive fourth place finish in the City With Spirit Fall Classic.
Campbell said it was one of the toughest courses and fields her team has ever had to compete in. Oh, and it rained like nobody's business on the final day. Still, her team toughed it out to give their fans and more importantly themselves a result to be proud of.
On Monday's opening day of the Savannah Lakes Fall Invitational, UNG toughed it out again. Any team could have and would have likely crumbled after as difficult a start the Nighthawks had. Through nine holes, the entire team had just three birdies to combat its 20 bogeys.
However, a switch was flipped at the turn. Freshman Ellie Jane Riner birdied the par-4 10th hole. Junior transfer Cora Mount, sophomore Abby Franks and senior Jadin Ware all followed Riner's lead with birdies at 11. Senior Ellie Rippee joined the fun on the par-3 12th.
Before long, UNG went from the bottom-half of the 15-team field all the way to the top-5. The team ended round one at 14-over-par and in third place. Round two was even better.
After catching fire on the back nine, the Nighthawks were hungry on the second 18 and they were coming for blood.
Mount ripped off three birdies with just one bogey for a two-under 70. Rippee clawed her way to an even-par 72 with four birdies to combat some difficult holes. Ware had a bogey-free 34 on the front nine, ending her second round with a one-over 73.
It was a collective team effort that helped UNG post a one-over 289 in the second round, the best round of any team in the tournament thus far.
With all five of UNG's golfers inside the top-23 of the individual leaderboard, the Nighthawks are poised to make a run for the top spot tomorrow, Tuesday, Sep. 24, when the final round of the invitational tees off at 9 a.m.
Latest Women's Golf Stories Feed
- No. 20 UNG Ends Fall Season With Third Place Outing At Intercollegiate At NemacolinFARMINGTON, Pa. – The No. 20 University of North Georgia (UNG) women's golf team finished in third place at the Intercollegiate at Nemacolin in Farmington, Pa. on Thursday afternoon. The placement secures UNG's fourth finish in fourth place or better this fall.
- No. 20 Nighthawks Close Day One In Fourth At Intercollegiate At NemacolinFARMINGTON, Pa. – The No. 20 University of North Georgia (UNG) women's golf team concluded the first day of play at the Intercollegiate at Nemacolin in fourth place Monday evening. No. 2 and host Findlay leads the tournament at two-over, followed by No. 17 Grand Valley State at 14-over and Tiffin at 23-over.
- Riner Named PBC Women's Golfer of the WeekDAHLONEGA -- No. 20 University of North Georgia women's golf freshman Ellie Jane Riner was named as the Peach Belt Conference Women's Golfer of the Week after an impressive outing as the Nighthawks hosted the 11th Annual LeeAnn Noble Memorial on Monday and Tuesday.
- No. 20 Nighthawks Post Runner-Up Finish at 11th Annual LeeAnn Noble MemorialDAHLONEGA – The No. 20 University of North Georgia (UNG) women's golf team finished in second place at the 11th Annual LeeAnn Noble Memorial Golf Tournament at Achasta Golf Club. The Nighthawks made statements, plural, this week. They broke numerous program records en route to a second-place finish in front of a 15-team field that held seven of the nation's top 25 teams and five of the top 10.
- No. 20 Nighthawks Break Program Record Again, Sit In Third At LeeAnn Noble MemorialDAHLONEGA – After 36 holes of play in the 11th Annual LeeAnn Noble Memorial Golf Tournament, the No. 20 University of North Georgia (UNG) women's golf team sits in third place and eight shots back of first place No. 2 Anderson at Achasta Golf Club. In second place and one stroke in front of the Nighthawks is No. 7 Wingate.
- The Hawks Nest - Episode 4: Sierra CampbellDAHLONEGA -- University of North Georgia (UNG) head women's golf coach Sierra Campbell has entered her fifth season at the helm of the women's golf program.