Women’s Golf matches school record to lead Heidelberg Fall Invitational after first round

By Wes Mayberry

TIFFIN — The Ohio Northern women's golf team matched a program record by shooting a 314 to lead the Heidelberg Fall Invitational by one stroke after Friday's first round at Mohawk Golf & Country Club.

The 314 matches the 18-hole score the Polar Bears (14-1 overall) posted at the Capital Classic in September 2021.

Wooster sits in second place in the eight-team field after shooting a 315, and Wittenberg is in third place with a first-round 323.

Individually, four Polar Bears sit inside the top 10 after 18 holes.

Sophomore Rhianna Firmstone (Moon Township, Pa./Moon Area) leads the 62-woman field by one stroke after firing a 2-over-par 74 on Friday. That score matches her career-best for 18 holes and ranks fifth all-time at ONU.

Junior Grace Honigford is tied for seventh with a 79, sophomore Amelia Burger (Centerville) is ninth with an 80, and freshman Marisa Alfes (Bellbrook) is tied for 10th with an 81.

Junior Rylie Smith (Cambridge/Buckeye Trail) and senior Jessica Tubbs (Maumee/Springfield) are 18th and 19th, respectively, with scores of 86 and 87.

The Polar Bears will conclude play in the 36-hole Heidelberg Fall Invitational on Saturday beginning at 12:30 p.m.

Team Standings

1. Ohio Northern 314, 2. Wooster 315, 3. Wittenberg 323, 4. Tiffin 340, 5. Baldwin Wallace 354, 6. Alma (Mich.) 357, 7. Heidelberg 363, 8. Capital 388.

Top 5 Individuals

1. Rhianna Firmstone (ONU) 74, 2. Izzy Selby (Wittenberg) 75, t3. Ellen Frame (Wittenberg) 76, t3. Ada Pan (Wooster) 76, t5. Melissa Burtscher (Wooster) 77, t5. Morgan Yates (Alma) 77.

Ohio Northern Individual Results

1. Rhianna Firmstone 74, t7. Grace Honigford 79, 9. Amelia Burger 80, t10. Marisa Alfes 81, 18. Rylie Smith 86.

Other Ohio Northern Individual Results

19. Jessica Tubbs 87, t33. Madyson Smith 96, t33. Hailie Wilson 96, t46. Allie Honigford 102, 55. Sara Slusher 114.