Records fall for runnerup Delaware, third-place finisher Seton Hall in Edisto Island Invitational

   Records were falling all over the place for Delaware and Seton Hall in the Edisto Island Invitational, which concluded Monday at The Plantation Course at Edisto in Edisto Beach, S.C., and neither of those schools won the team title.

   The championship went to smoking hot North Florida, which claimed its fourth straight team crown and fifth overall in the wrapround 2018-’19 season. Considering the program had only won three tournament titles in its history, records are falling for the Ospreys, No. 68 in the latest Golfstat rankings, as well.

   North Florida took control with solid rounds of even-par 284 and 2-over 286 over the 5,902-yard, par-71 Plantation Course layout in Sunday’s double-round. With the wind kicking up from an approaching Nor’Easter Monday, the Ospreys closed with a 13-over 297 for a 15-over 867 total that left them three shots better than No. 107 Delaware.

   The Blue Hens, behind individual co-medalist Thitaree Sakulbunpanich, a sophomore from Thailand, fired a program record 6-under 278 in Sunday afternoon’s second round after opening with a 12-over 296. They had the best round of the day in Monday’s tougher conditions, another 12-over 296, but they couldn’t quite catch North Florida, coming up three shots behind the Ospreys at 18-over 870.

   Sakulbunpanich’s sizzling 6-under 65, a program record, in the second round sparked the team surge by Delaware and gave her the lead heading into the final round. Sakulbunpanich had opened with a 2-under 69 Sunday morning.

   Sakulbunpanich closed with a 2-over 73 and James Madison’s Kate Owens, a freshman from Suwanee, Ga., carded a 1-under 70 to make up a three-shot deficit to Sakulbunpanich and earn a share of the individual title at 6-under 207.

   Sakulbunpanich’s 207 total knocked assistant coach Andi Slane out of the Delaware record book as her 209 total at the 2015 Colonial Athletic Association Championship had stood as the Blue Hens’ best in a 54-hole event.

   Seton Hall matched Delaware’s 6-under 278 in the second round, the first time in the history of the program the Pirates had bettered par in a round, after opening with a 13-over 297. Seton Hall, ranked 100^th, hung tough in Monday’s tough conditions – bad weather has been chasing the Pirates all around the country this spring to the point where they might have a tough time competing in really nice conditions – with a final-round 299 that left it alone in third place at 22-over 874.

   The College of Charleston, at No. 62 the highest-ranked team in the field, was three shots behind Seton Hall in fourth at 25-over 877 after a final-round 298.

   Seton Hall’s Big East rival, No. 102 Xavier, was a shot behind the College of Charleston in fifth place in the 16-team field – which included a College of Charleston B team – at 26-over 878. The Muskateers were sitting in second place after rounds of 4-over 288 and 1-under 283 in Sunday’s double-round before falling back with a final-round 307.

   North Florida has been getting outstanding individual outcomes from different players during its run of four straight tournament wins and this time it was Lissette Davalos’ turn. The freshman from Mexico fired a 2-under 69 in Monday’s tough conditions to finish alone in third, four shots behind co-medalists Sakulbunpanich and Owens at 2-under 211.

   Mindy Harrick, a sophomore from Gainesville, Fla., backed up Davalos for the Ospreys, finishing in the group tied for ninth at 3-over 216. Harrick bettered par in both rounds Sunday, opening with a 2-under 69 and adding a 1-under 70 in the afternoon before faltering in the final round with a 77.

Teresa Conroy, a junior from Tallahassee, Fla., and Sydney Shrader, a junior from Naples, Fla., both landed among the group tied for 19^th at 222.

   Conroy was at even-par after rounds of 70 and 72 in Sunday’s double-round before falling back with a throw-out 80 in the final round. Shrader closed with a 4-over 75 after going 74-73 in Sunday’s double-round.

   Daniela Gonzalez, a freshman from Colombia, closed with a 5-over 76 that was an important counter for the Ospreys to finish among the group tied for 22^nd at 223.

   Delaware also got a strong showing from Ariane Klotz, a junior stalwart from New Caledonia who finished a shot behind North Florida’s Davalos in fourth at 1-under 212. Klotz, who shared second place in last spring’s CAA Championship, finished strong with a 2-under 69 Monday after opening with an even-par 71 and adding a 1-over 72 in Sunday’s double-round.

   Xavier’s Mikayla Fitzpatrick, a senior from Phoenix, opened the proceedings with a bang as she ripped off a scintillating 7-under 64 in Sunday’s first round, a program record. An even-par 71 in the afternoon also gave her the 36-hole program record and left her a shot behind Sakulbunpanich. Fitzpatrick cooled off in the final round with a 78, but still finished alone in fifth place at even-par 213, a shot behind Klotz.

   The College of Charleston’s Jodee Tindal, a sophomore from Rock Hill, S.C., added a 1-over 72 to the pair of even-par 71s she posted in Sunday’s double round to finish alone in sixth place at 1-over 214, a shot behind Fitzpatrick.

   Host Charleston Southern’s Ellen Hume, a freshman from England, and South Carolina Upstate’s Beem Pabsimma shared seventh place at 2-over 215.

   Hume opened with a 3-under 68 and fell back with a 76 Sunday afternoon before matching par in the final round with a 71. Pabsimma fired a 3-under 68 in Sunday afternoon’s second round after matching par in the opening round with a 71 before finishing up with a 76.

   Ashley Dingman backed up Sakulbunpanich and Klotz for Delaware as she closed with a 77 to finish among the group tied for 33^rd at 227. After opening with an 81, Dingman contributed a 2-under 69 to the Blue Hens’ record second-round surge.

   Sophia Dieter, a freshman from Jupiter, Fla., closed with a 77 to finish among the group tied for 42^nd at 234. Rounding out the Delaware lineup was Valentina Mueller, a senior from Switzerland, who ended up among the group tied for 50^th at 227. Mueller struggled in the opening round with an 81 and in the final round with an 84, but she was right in the middle of Delaware’s big second round with a 1-over 72.

   Mackenzie Dieter – pretty sure she’s Sophia’s twin, but I’m not positive – competed as an individual and finished among the group tied for 50^th along with Mueller at 227. Mackenzie Dieter carded rounds of 77 and 79 in Sunday’s double-round before finishing up with an 81.

   Leading the way for Seton Hall was sophomore Mia Kness, who captured the 2016 PIAA Class AAA title as a senior at Peters Township. Kness contributed a sparkling 4-under 67 to the Pirates’ second-round surge after opening with a 75. Her final-round 74 left her tied with North Florida’s Herrick for ninth place at 3-over 216.

   After struggling to a 79 in the opening round, junior Maddie Sager, the 2015 PIAA Class AAA runnerup as a senior at Owen J. Roberts, bettered par in the final two rounds with a 1-under 70 in Sunday afternoon’s second round and a 2-under 69 in Monday’s tough conditions. That left Sager among the group tied for 14^th at 5-over 218.

   Caroline Ronchel Salas, a junior from Spain, gave Seton Hall three finishers inside the top 20 as she landed in the group tied for 19^th at 9-over 222. After opening with a 1-over 72, Ronchel Salas added a pair of 75s.

   Lizzie Win, a junior from Sylvania, Ohio, finished among the group tied for 24^th at 224. She contributed a sparkling 3-under 68 to the Pirates’ record-breaking second round, but struggled otherwise, opening with a 75 and closing with an 81.

   Sarah Fouratt, a freshman from Santa Maria, Calif., rounded out the Seton Hall lineup as she finished in the group tied for 42^nd at 234. Fouratt struggled in the final round with an 86, but she did her part in establishing a Seton Hall single-round record with her 2-over 73 in Sunday afternoon’s second round.

   Junior Sammie Staudt, a former Coatesville standout, competed as an individual and finished alone in 39^th at 232. Staudt carded a pair of 77s in Sunday’s double-round before finishing up with a 78.

   Head coach Natalie Desjardins and her Pirates will face some stiff competition in the Lady Buckeye Spring Invitational, which tees off April 13 at Ohio State. That will be their final tuneup before they return to South Carolina for the Big East Championship, which tees off April 19 at Callawassie Island Golf Club in Okatie.

   Elon freshman Sophia Mancuso, who finished 13^th in the 2017 PIAA Class AAA Championship as a senior at Central Bucks East, ended up among the group tied for 72^nd at 241. Mancuso opened with a 77 and closed with a 79, but struggled in Sunday afternoon’s second round with a 91. Elon finished eighth with a 904 total after a final-round 305.