By Tim Glon
BLUFFTON — The Ohio Northern women's golf team won its third tournament in four tries this fall, posting a 676 at the Bluffton Beaver Fall Classic on Saturday and Sunday at the Bluffton Golf Course.
The Polar Bears (33-1 overall) defeated second-place Wooster by 19 strokes in the five-team tournament after holding an impressive 26-shot lead after the first round.
It marks ONU's third consecutive tournament victory after opening the season with a second place finish at the Olivet (Mich.) Fall Invitational Sept. 9-10.
Northern has since won tournaments at Heidelberg, Lourdes and now Bluffton.
Junior Grace Honigford (West Chester/Lakota East)won Medalist honors for the first time this season and the 13th time in her career with an 81-81—162 on the windy weekend.
Freshman Marisa Alfes (Bellbrook) finished fourth of 33 golfers with an 82-87—169, sophomore Amelia Burger (Centerville) tied for seventh with an 80-94—174 and senior Isabella Orofino (Powell/Olentangy Liberty) and sophomore Rhianna Firmstone (Moon Township, Pa./Moon Area) tied for ninth with 175s.
Bluffton was third with a 706, Lourdes was fourth with a 719 and Manchester (Ind.) was fifth with a 917.
The Polar Bears will wrap up their fall schedule Oct. 24-25 at the Berry (Ga.) Invitational.
Team Standings
1. Ohio Northern 324-352—676, 2. Wooster 350-345—695, 3. Bluffton 357-349—706, 4. Lourdes 367-352—719, 5. Manchester (Ind.) 459-458—917.
Top 5 Individuals
1. Grace Honigford (ONU) 81-81—162, 2. Ada Pan (Wooster) 80-83—163, 3. Kiley Cline (Bluffton) 87-81—168, 4. Marisa Alfes (ONU) 82-87—169, t5. Ally Siewart (Wooster) 89-83—172, t5. Haley Gill (Bluffton) 86-86—172.
Ohio Northern Individual Results
1. Grace Honigford 81-81—162, 4. Marisa Alfes 82-87—169, t7. Amelia Burger 80-94—174, t9. Isabella Orofino 81-94—175, t9. Rhianna Firmstone 85-90—175.
Ohio Northern "B" Individual Results
t15. Jessica Tubbs 89-91—181, t15. Torrie Smith 94-87—181, 17. Rylie Smith 96-88—184, t20. Meghan Utterdyke 94-94—188, t20. Olivia Galigher 96-92—188.
Other Ohio Northern Individual Results
t18. Rebekah Baumlein 92-93—185.
