Cortland golfer breaks school record at Martin/Wallace Invitational

Photo credit: Joe Tesori

CORTLAND, N.Y. – The Cortland women's golf team, behind a school record-setting performance by junior Danielle Bambola (Miller Place), finished in first place out of six teams at its own Martin/Wallace Invitational Saturday and Sunday at the Cortland Country Club.

Cortland finished with a two-day score of 664, eight strokes better than runner-up Ithaca. Suffolk University was third at 711, followed by William Smith (759), St. John Fisher (762) and Keuka (880). Nazareth was originally scheduled to compete but withdrew Friday evening. Cortland led Ithaca by one stroke after Saturday's play before extending its margin Sunday.

Bambola won medalist honors with a two-day score of 147, including an even par 72 Sunday. Her two-day score is the best by a Cortland player since the program was re-started in 1997, and her 72 is tied for the "modern era" school record. Bambola broke the previous two-day record of 148, which was set by both herself at the Revolutionary Golf Classic in October 2016 and by Rebecca Studin at the NYU Invitational in September 2013. Bambola's 72 Sunday matched her own school mark established at the Amherst Leaman Invitational in April 2017.

Ithaca's Peyton Greco finished second with a final score of 154. Bambola and Greco were tied after Saturday's play, each with a 75. On Sunday, Bambola recorded 16 pars and one birdie, and her lone bogey came after three-putting on the par-3 ninth hole. She led Greco by one stroke heading into the back nine but pulled away with four pars and a birdie over the first five holes on the return trip to the clubhouse compared to five straight Greco bogeys.

Senior Tiffany Schapira (Valley Stream/Valley Stream South) finished third in the 31-golfer field with a two-day score of 164. She was tied for third with sophomore teammate Kristin Scali (Garrison/James I. O'Neill) at 85 after Day 1 and started Day 2 with a 38 on the front nine en route to a final score of 79. Scali registered an 89 Sunday and finished in eighth place with a 174.

Cortland's other two entrants both placed in the top 15. Senior Mallory Rosch (Ashville, OH/Teays Valley) improved from a 93 and a tie for 13th Saturday to score an 86 Sunday and place 11th overall at 179. Freshman Jordana Testa (Oyster Bay) finished 13th with a career-best 182 that included her best round of the season with an 89 Sunday.

Cortland will look to successfully defend its Empire 8 title at the league's championship tournament next Saturday and Sunday at the Ballston Spa Country Club.

MARTIN/WALLACE INVITATIONAL (September 29-30, 2018)

Complete Results (Golfstat)

FINAL TEAM SCORES:

Place, School              Day 1-Day 2-Total Score
1) Cortland                    338-326-664
2) Ithaca                       339-333-672
3) Suffolk                      355-356-711
4) William Smith           385-374-759
5) St. John Fisher         383-379-762
6) Keuka                       445-435-880

INDIVIDUAL SCORES (TOP 5, PLUS OTHER CORTLAND)

Place, Name (School)                      Day 1-Day 2-Total Score
1) Danielle Bambola (Cortland)         75-72-147
2) Peyton Greco (Ithaca)                   75-79-154
3) Tiffany Schapira (Cortland)            85-79-164
4) Sophia Israel (Ithaca)                    86-82-168
5) Brooke Chapman (Suffolk)            86-85-171

8) Kristin Scali (Cortland)                   85-89-174
11) Mallory Rosch (Cortland)             93-86-179
13) Jordana Testa (Cortland)             93-89-182

(31 golfers competed)