Wilson, Arnold Lead Falcon Charge At Redbird Invitational

Saturday, September 10

Normal, Ill.

All Day

Bowling Green State University

Redbird Invitational

September 11, 2011 | Women's Golf

By: by Matthew Daley, Athletic Communications Intern

DAY ONE RESULTS (.pdf)

NORMAL, Ill. - To start the season, Bowling Green State University women's golf head coach Stephanie Young did not waste any time throwing this year's freshman class into the fire of competition. After the first day of the 2011 Redbird Invitational, that decision is paying dividends.

After the first two rounds of the event on Saturday (Sept. 10), the Falcons are in the thick of competition in fourth place with a 36-hole score of 617.

Freshman Shelby Wilson heads up the Bowling Green effort with a 149. She ended the day in fifth place, five strokes behind the co-leaders. She opened her Falcon career with an even-par 72 and ended the day with a 77.

Bailey Arnold, who led the Falcons in scoring average as a freshman during the 2010-11 season, is right on Wilson's heels. She opened with a 76 and then improved on that score in the second round by carding a 74. Her composite 150 earned a tie for sixth.

Junior captain Amy Ruthenberg is the third Falcon in the top 20. Ruthenberg represented Bowling Green well by shooting two rounds in the 70s (79-76) and ending the day tied for 16th with 155.

Patricia Holt, another newcomer to the Orange and Brown, shot an opening-round 80 on her way to a total of 165 for the day. She is tied in the standings with senior Paula DiFrancesco, who recorded rounds of 82 and 83.

As a team, Bowling Green is nine shots behind tournament leader Ball State, but they trail second-place Southern Illinois by three and third-place Toledo by one.

The Mid-American Conference is doing very well in Normal, Ill. this weekend. Of the four MAC teams in the 17-team field, all are currently in the top seven. Nobody outside of those top seven teams are currently within 20 shots of the Falcons.

Final round play in the Redbird Invitational is scheduled for Sunday (Sept. 11).