JACKSONVILLE, N.C. - The Bridgewater College women's golf team completed the second round of the Camp Lejeune Intercollegiate on Saturday, and senior Sophia Martone had a memorable day that moved her within a shot of the lead on the Scarlet Course at Paradise Point Golf Club.
 
Martone, who has five collegiate medals to her name, started what looked to be a mundane round of golf early in the day -- she three-putted the first green, and missed her up-and-down attempt on No. 3, so she was sitting at +2 through five holes. But then the fireworks started. The standout from Raleigh blistered the course the rest of the way, making seven birdies in an eleven-hole stretch. Despite a bogey on the closing hole, she completed the round at 68 (-3), tying her own record for the lowest score in Bridgewater women's history (though she and Christina Herbert both had scores of -4 in relation to par).
 
"Seven birdies in a single round might be a record for me," said Martone. "I spent the time enjoying one of my final rounds of college golf, and the company of my playing partners (including a retired Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps), and having my parents watching. I'm excited to go into the third day chasing the lead." She started the day three strokes back of Alice Zhu of Babson, but has cut the lead to one shot. In the end, Martone had birdies on holes numbered 6,7,9, 11, 12, 15, and 16.
 
The Eagles started the day sitting in third after an opening round of 317, and they improved by three strokes today. Nonetheless, they fell to fourth when Oglethorpe shot a strong round of 295. 
 
Hannah Rizzo was not thrilled with her performance on Saturday but continues to produce solid numbers for her team. She was already +4 through four holes and had a double-bogey on No. 13, but she played the final five holes at even par to turn in a score of 79. 
 
Similarly, junior Emily Price was frustrated with her five double-bogies, but she played the other thirteen holes at just two strokes over par. And her two day numbers of 83-83 would be her best two-day total of the season by six strokes, so head coach John Rogers pointed out that it was a step in the right direction.
 
Senior Evelyn Hunter also tied her best two-day total of the season by going 85-84. "Evelyn has a sneaky kind of game," said Rogers. "She does not hit it real far, and does not hit a lot of flashy shots, but when she gets in a groove, she just keeps it down the middle, and she chips and putts pretty well. She has given us some solid scores in recent weeks, which has been pivotal because she stepped into the starting lineup when we had a player graduate in December."
 
Freshman Brooke Tyler worked on her chipping before the second round of the Camp Lejeune Intercollegiate, and she scrambled much better. She shaved four strokes from her opening round to post 86, despite missing several short putts.
 
After two rounds the Eagles find themselves in a "bubble" heading into the final round Sunday; they will have a hard time moving up to third, but are unlikely to fall below the fourth spot, where they currently sit. They posted 314 today, their second-best score of the season.
 
Today wrapped up the unique part of this collegiate event, wherein the athletes compete alongside retired military personnel, and even some parents. The players will enjoy a banquet and awards with their amateur partners this evening, and the final round for the college players will start at 9:15 tomorrow morning.