Win Is The Second In A Row For Rohleder
For the second time in as many events this spring, University of Evansville golfer Sophia Rohleder is coming home with a championship. The senior paced the competition to win the Don Benbow Invitational on Tuesday at Jacksonville Beach Golf Course.
The Evansville native opened this spring with a medalist at the ASU Spring Classic and followed that up with another victory on Tuesday. Rohleder paced the competition for the majority of the event, fending off a challenge by Olivia Loberg of Eastern Michigan to win by one stroke. On Monday, Rohleder saw atop the leaderboard with a 75 and followed that up with a 5-over 76 on Tuesday.
Her final score of a 151 was one in front of Loberg’s 152. Loberg had the low round of the entire tournament on Tuesday, posting a 2-over 73. A team effort across the board helped the Aces come home in second place in the team standings. UE’s final total of 640 was nine off of the pace set by Southern Illinois, who won the tournament with a 631. The Salukis had the low team round of the event on Tuesday, shooting a 308.
Evansville had three players finish in the top 12 to clinch second place. UE was one stroke in front of EMU and two ahead of Butler, who took fourth.
Second on the team and tying for 12th in the tournament was the duo of Allison Enchelmayer and Mallory Russell. Enchelmayer had a strong round on Tuesday, carding an 80 and putting her final tally at a 164. Russell tied that mark; following a 78 on Monday, Russell clinched a strong finish with an 86 in round two.
Alyssa McMinn and Caitlin O’Donnell each made solid improvements between the first and second rounds. McMinn improved her opening round of 85 by four strokes, shooting an 81 on Tuesday to wrap up the event with a 166. O’Donnell made the largest jump. She dropped 11 shots off of Monday’s score, going from a 92 to an 81 to take 28th place.
Carly Frazier finished with rounds of 89 and 87 to tie for 30th on the individual side.
An exciting opportunity awaits the Aces in their next tournament at the end of the month. Evansville is slated to take part in the prestigious Pinehurst Women’s Intercollegiate from March 29-30 in Pinehurst, N.C.
