Nicholson Repeats as Rio Verde Champion, Pikunas, Zips Earn Runner-Up Honors

Sunday, February 25

Quail Run Golf Club | Rio Verde, AZ

All Day

University of Akron

Rio Verde Invitational

Nicholson Repeats as Rio Verde Champion, Pikunas, Zips Earn Runner-Up Honors

February 25 | Women's Golf

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Final Results PDF | Leaderboard: Team | Player | Team/Player

Rio Verde, Ariz. – For the second straight year, junior Danielle Nicholson (Geneva, Ohio) won the Rio Verde Invitational, while freshman Jacinta Pikunas (Youngstown, Ohio) claimed individual runner-up honors and the Akron women's golf team finished runner-up with a 903 (+39) tournament total on Sunday.

After a one-hour frost delay, the final round of the Rio Invitational at the 6,128-yard, par-72 Quail Run Course started with Nicholson and the Zips' squad leading their respective leaderboards. Pikunas was tied in the fourth position.

Nicholson maintained her position at the top of the leaderboard with a 2-under par 70 final round performance to finish with a 214 (-2), one-stroke better than last year's run at the title. Nicholson finished six-strokes better than the field. She opened the final 18-holes with a par and birdie. She scored par for five-straight holes but fell back to an even scorecard to end the front-9.

On the back, Nicholson remained even until hole No. 12 when she recorded back-to-back birdies. She played even-par golf the rest of the way. Nicholson finished the 54-hole event with rounds of 76 (+4), 68 (-4), and 70 (-2).

Finishing behind Nicholson was Pikunas. She advanced two spots on the leaderboard to finish second overall with a 74 (+2) final round. She collected 13 pars, two birdies, a bogey, and a double bogey. For the tournament, Pikunas carded a 220 (+4) total on rounds of 71 (-1), 75 (+3), and 74 (+2).

Also leading the Zips to the runner-up team finish was senior Pader Her (Holt, Mich.), sophomore Allyson Wentworth (Stewartsville, N.J.), and junior Makayla Dull (Fremont, Ohio). Her finished tied for 36th overall with a 233 (+17), while Wentworth and Dull captured 46^th and 87^th finishes with scores of 236 (+20) and 255 (+39) respectively.

Seton Hall edged Akron for the tournament title by one-stroke with rounds of 307, 296, and 299 for a 902 (+38) tournament total. Akron fired rounds of 306, 293 and 299.

In addition, freshman Abbie Pearce (Green, Ohio) and senior Mallory Etcheberry (Wesley Chapel, Fla.) competed as individuals. Pearce finished tied for 43^rd overall with a 235 (+19), while Etcheberry placed tied for 78^th overall with a 247 (+31).

The Zips will be back in action on Monday and Tuesday, March 12-13 at Brookhaven Country Club in Dallas, Texas for the Bradley Spring Break Invite.

Top 5 Teams
1 Seton Hall 307-296-299 - 902 (+38)
2 Akron 306-293-304 – 903 (+39)
3 Arkansas State 311-293-305 - 909 (+45)
4 Bradley 310-304-299 - 913 (+49)
5 Wichita State 313-298-306 - 917 (+53)

Top 5 Players
1 Danielle Nicholson, Akron, 76-68-70 - 214 (-2)
2 Jacinta Pikunas, Akron, 71-75-74 - 220 (+4)
3 Sarah Childers, Arkansas State, 75-70-76 - 221 (+5)
4 Taryn Torgerson, Wichita State, 73-72-77 - 222 (+6)
T5 Taylor Ledwein, Bradley, 77-74-72 - 223 (+7)
T5 Maria Connelly, Eastern Michigan, 77-75-71 - 223 (+7)

2 Akron (+39) 306-293-304 - 903
1 Danielle Nicholson (–2) 76-68-70 - 214
2 Jacinta Pikunas (+4) 71-75-74 - 220
T36 Pader Her (+17) 82-73-78 - 233
T46 Allyson Wentworth (+20) 77-77-82 - 236
T87 Makayla Dull (+39) 86-86-83 – 255
T43 Abbie Pearce (+19) 79-75-81 - 235
T78 Mallory Etcheberry (+31) 86-83-78 - 247