SOUTHWICK, Mass. (October 17, 2022) -- Another year, another trophy for the Franklin Pierce University women's golf team. Whatever drama was in it, after the team held only a 10-shot lead overnight, was wrung out of the proceedings during Monday's second round of the Northeast-10 Conference Championship. The Ravens laid claim to their fourth straight NE10 title, and their fifth all-time, with a blowout, 48-shot victory atop a seven-team field. The two-day NE10 Championship was held at the par-72, 5804-yard Ranch Golf Club.

Franklin Pierce becomes just the third golf team in NE10 history, regardless of gender, to claim four straight titles, joining the Bryant men, who won nine straight from 1983-91, and then four straight from 1993-96. The Ravens become only the second team in school history to claim at least four consecutive NE10 crowns, joining the women's soccer program, which won seven straight from 2000-06.

About the only thing which did not go Franklin Pierce's way on Monday was that the team was unable to boast its fourth straight NE10 individual champion as well, though the Ravens still had two of the top-three finishers and put all five players inside the top 15 of a 36-golfer field. The Ranch Golf Club, which had already played 18 shots over par on Sunday, was over 2.5 shots more difficult still on Monday, as the second-round scoring average checked in at 91.97 strokes.

Sophomore Kesinee Prukmathakul (Bangkok, Thailand) was the lead Raven, as she claimed solo-second at 71-75--146 (+2), just one shot behind Adelphi junior Ilaria Ponziani, who converted the overnight lead into medalist honors, at 69-76--145 (+1). With the pair playing alongside each other, Prukmathakul capitalized on four straight bogeys from Ponziani to open the back-nine, and used a birdie on the 15^th hole to forge a tie with three holes to play.

The tie persisted to the 36^th and final hole of the tournament, with Ponziani birdieing the par-4, 324-yard 18^th hole to lay claim to the title. She became the first golfer from a school other than Franklin Pierce or Merrimack to win an individual NE10 title in women's golf.

Seven shots behind Prukmathakul, fellow Thai sophomore Phisonlaya Ruayruen (Chiangmai, Thailand) came home solo-third, at 76-77--153 (+9). Senior Alia Godek (Feeding Hills, Mass.) made it three Ravens in the top six, as she moved up one shot on Monday to finish solo-sixth, at 82-78--160 (+16). Freshman Lorelai Flanagan (Arlington, Mass.) was the day's biggest mover, as she jumped nine spots to slip inside the top 10 and claim solo-10^th, at 88-80--168 (+24). Senior Micaela Leandro (Harlingen, Texas) dropped two spots and finished tied-15^th, at 86-89--175 (+31).

Monday's low four scores added up to 310 (+22) for Franklin Pierce, which was five shots better than the team's score on Sunday, even though the course played more difficult in the second round. It was the best total of the day by 24 shots, and allowed the Ravens to open up the massive, 48-shot victory margin by finishing at 315-310--625 (+49). Adelphi was 23 strokes worse on Monday, which dropped the Panthers from solo-second into a tie for second, at 325-348--673 (+97). Le Moyne was the only team other than Franklin Pierce to shoot lower in the second round than the first, which allowed the Dolphins to tie Adelphi for second, at 339-334--673 (+97).

With the victory, Franklin Pierce claimed the NE10's automatic bid to the NCAA Championship, which will be conducted in the spring. As such, the Ravens will participate in the NCAA Championship East Regional for the third straight season, and the fourth time overall.

The NE10 Championship concluded the fall portion of Franklin Pierce's season.