Washington takes four-shot lead over Penn State in Nittany Lion Invitational

   Washington, with three players who were key contributors as freshmen to the Huskies’ unlikely run to an NCAA championship in 2016 at Portland Country Club playing their senior seasons, had the only sub-par team round in Saturday afternoon’s second round of a 36-hole day as it grabbed a four-shot lead over host Penn State in the Nittany Lion Invitational.

   Washington grabbed the lead in the first round of Saturday’s double round with a 6-over 294 over Penn State’s 6,322-yard, par-72 Blue Course and added a 1-under 287 in the afternoon for a 5-over 581 total.

   It was a pretty good day for Denise St. Pierre’s Nittany Lions, who matched par in the afternoon with a 288 after opening with a 297 for a 9-over 585 total.

   Being the host team always allows St. Pierre to see several other of her players besides the five counting in the team standings. And one of the Nittany Lions competing as individual made quite a statement as Sarah Willis, a freshman from Eaton, Ohio, grabbed a three-shot lead in the individual standings.

   Willis opened with a sparkling 4-under 68 and followed it up with a 2-under 70 Saturday afternoon for a 6-under 138 total. Rutgers’ Maeve Rossi, a freshman from Italy, is three shots behind Willis in second after she posted rounds of 71 and 70 for a 3-under 141 total.

   Rutgers added an even-par 288 to its opening-round 299 and is alone in third, two shots behind Penn State at 11-over 587. Seton Hall is another eight shots behind Rutgers in fourth after shaving 13 shots off its opening-round 304 with a 3-over 291 in the afternoon that left the Pirates at 19-over 595.

Navy, with rounds of 300 and 301, is alone in fifth place at 25-over 601. Penn had rounds of 305 and 304, leaving the Quakers alone in eighth place in the 16-team field at 609.

   Willis wasn’t the only individual competitor to land in the top 10 as Washington’s Julianne Alvarez, one of the heroes of the Huskies’ national championship run in 2016, added a 2-under 70 to her opening-round 76 to end up as part of a six-player logjam tied for sixth at 2-over 146.

   Leading the way for Washington’s team counters was Sarah Rhee, a senior from Seattle and another key member of the Huskies’ national championship run. Rhee had a pair of 73s to join Alvarez in the group tied for sixth at 146. Alice Duan, a junior from Reno, Nev. is also in that group along with two of her Washington teammates as she added a 1-under 71 to her opening-round 75.

   Rino Sasaki, a sophomore from Japan, is alone in 12^th place for the Huskies after opening with a 74 and adding a 73 for a 3-over 147 total.

   Karen Miyamato, a junior from Japan, and Wenyung Keh, another member of Washington’s New Zealand connection along with Alvarez that helped bring a national championship to Seattle, are in the group tied for 13^th at 4-over 148. Miyamato opened with an even-par 72 and added a 4-over 76 in the afternoon while Keh had the Huskies’ best team round of the afternoon, a 2-under 70, after opening with a 78.

   Leading the way for Penn State in the team scoring was senior Cara Basso, a Villa Maria Academy product who was the only other player to finish under par for the day. Basso fired a 3-under 69 in the afternoon after opening up with a 74 and is alone in third place in the individual standings at 1-under 143.

   Basso, the reigning two-time winner of the Women’s Golf Association of Philadelphia’s Match-Play Championship, finished tied for fourth in the Big Ten Championship and was invited to compete as an individual in the NCAA Madison Regional in the spring.

   Rossi’s Rutgers classmate, Harriet Allsebrook, a freshman from England, is tied for fourth with Navy junior Morgan Frazier, a former Cumberland Valley standout, at 1-over 145. Allsebrook matched par in the afternoon with a 72 after opening with a 73 while Frazier opened with an even-par 72 and added a 1-over 73 in the afternoon.

   Basso’s classmate at Penn State, senior Jackie Rogowicz, a two-time District One champion at Pennsbury, is also in the group tied for sixth at 2-over 146. Rogowicz, who made her second U.S. Women’s Amateur appearance this summer, matched par in the afternoon with a 72 after opening with a 76.

   Seton Hall junior Lizzie Win of Sylvania, Ohio also landed in the group tied for sixth as she fired a 2-under 70 in the afternoon after opening with a 76. Rounding out the group tied for sixth at 146 is Yale freshman Ami Gianchandini, a product of The Pingry School from Short Hills, N.J. who posted a pair of 1-over 73s.

   The third member of Penn State’s trio of senior stalwarts, Lauren Waller, the 2014 PIAA Class AAA runnerup as a senior at Canon-McMillan, is among the group tied for 13^th at 4-over 148. Waller added a 1-over 73 to her opening-round 75.

   It is the final Nittany Lion Invitational for Basso, Rogowicz and Waller, who have been regulars in St. Pierre’s starting lineup their whole careers, and you can bet they want this team title badly.

   Junior Megan McLean, a Voorhees High product, is also in the group with Waller tied for 13^th at 148 with a pair of 74s. Rounding out the five for Penn State is Ashni Dhruva, a junior from Katy, Texas who is among the group tied for 37^th at 152 after adding a 2-over 74 to her opening-round 78.

   Willis wasn’t the only player competing as an individual for Penn State and making a play for a spot in the first five. Olivia Zambruno, the 2016 PIAA Class AA champion as a senior at Greensburg Central Catholic, joined Waller and McLean in the group tied for 13^th at 148 as she matched par in the afternoon with a 72 after opening with a 76.

   Junior Madelein Herr, a former Council Rock North standout, added a 74 to her opening-round 76 and is among the group tied for 23^rd at 150. Kamerine Taylor, a senior from Dublin, Ohio, is among the group tied for 53^rd at 153 after adding a 75 to her opening-round 78.

   Backing up Win for Seton Hall were sophomore Mia Kness, the PIAA Class AAA champion as a senior at Peters Township, and junior Sammie Staudt, a former Coatesville standout, both of whom were among the group tied for 23^rd at 150. Kness improved off an opening-round 77 with a 1-over 73 in the afternoon while Staudt opened with a 73 and added a 77 in the afternoon.

   Leading the way for Penn was Mary Shin, a freshman from Irvine, Calif. who is among the group tied for 13^th at 4-over 148 after adding a 1-over 73 to her opening-round 75. Rina Jung, a sophomore from Briarcliff Manor, N.Y., is among the group tied for 30^th at 151 as she matched par with a 72 in the afternoon after opening with a 79.

   Christina Park, a junior from San Diego, ended up in the group tied for 37^th at 152 after adding a 78 to her opening-round 74. Leila Dizon, a freshman from Los Angeles, is in the group tied for 66^th at 158 after opening up with a 77 before adding an 81.

   Rounding out the starting lineup for the Quakers was former Notre Dame standout Olivia Traynor, who was making her college debut. Traynor, who claimed the Inter-Ac League’s individual title as a freshman in 2015, is in 77^th place at 162 after adding an 83 to her opening-round 79.