Women’s golf captures two titles
Photo credit: Gettysburg College Athletics
By Claire Healey, Sports Editor
The Gettysburg College women’s golf team had a dominant weekend this past weekend finishing with two tournament titles and a shattered Centennial Conference scoring record.
Leading the way for the Bullets was junior Samantha Sessa who came away with two individual victories in as many days. This was also the second consecutive weekend with an individual title for Sessa.
She carded a 77 on the par-71, 5,381 yard course at the Gettysburg Invitational held at Hanover Country Club. She won by three strokes to take her 12th career title and her 11th round in the 70s for the Orange and Blue. She had two birdies on the day, the first at the par-4 sixth hole and the second at the par-4 eleventh.
Following her impressive Saturday performance, Sessa also carded her 13th career title on Sunday at the Susquehanna Spring Invitational. She took one stroke off her season low with a 76 at the Susquehanna Valley Country Club and it extended her to twelve rounds in the 70s.
“Yeah, I thought this weekend went very well. I was playing well on the par-4s, especially on Saturday which I think helped me. The team has also been playing well as a unit, which will be good looking forward to conferences,” said Sessa.
Also helping the Bullets bring home two tournament titles was senior Sarah Hansen. On Saturday, Hansen carded an 83 to finish fourth in the field of 41. It was her ninth top-five finish in as many events this season. Hansen was also just one stroke behind Sessa on Sunday with a 77. She lowered her collegiate low score by one stroke and carded her fifth career round in the 70s, while also claiming her tenth top-five finish of the season.
First-year Hannah Fireman rounded out the top five during Saturday’s tournament with an 85. She had a birdie on the par-4 305 yard tenth hole. On Sunday, Fireman shot a season low 81 to finish third. It was her seventh top-five finish this year.
Saturday’s first-team was rounded out by first-year Katie McCarthy who shot an 80 to finish second and junior Caroline McDonald who shot a 106 to finish 32nd. The second team of Bullets was led by first-year Erin Schroeder who carded an 89 to finish tied for 11th.
Also on Gettysburg’s second contingent were sophomore Gillian Marini who finished with a 95 for a 21st place finish, sophomore Kiera Cooney with a 107 to finish 33rd, first-year Jessica Davis with a 108 to finish 34th and junior Emma Feeney with a 122 to finish 38th.
Sunday’s squad was rounded out by Marini who helped Gettysburg sweep the top four with an 83, which was the best showing of her career thus far. First-year Erin Schroeder finished 12th with a score of 99.
The Bullets Sunday team score was a 317, which bested their previously set program and conference scoring record. They set and re-set that record three times over the fall season and were just five strokes short of the record during Saturday’s tournament. Gettysburg was also 80 strokes ahead of the nearest competitor, Manhattanville, by the end of Sunday scoring.
“I am very happy with the team’s performance last weekend as well as the entire semester. I am very fortunate to have the group of kids that we have here. They are a special group and have much potential!” said head coach Susan Konstalid.
The Bullets look to continue their dominance at the Mac Invitational on Friday, April 7th and at the Carnegie Mellon Invitational April 8-9th. Gettysburg continues to be atop the Centennial Conference standings and will look to seven-peat as conference champions later in April.
