LEWISBURG, Pa. – Mara Hirtle (So., Pinehurst, N.C.) finished tied for first in the individual standings with an 8-over par 218, propelling the Navy women's golf team to the team title at the Bucknell Invitational. The Midshipmen posted a three-round score of 45-over par 885 at the Bucknell Golf Club in Lewisburg, Pa.
 
Hirtle narrowly missed out on medalist honors, with Howard's Reese Wilson being named the tournament champion after posting a lower final-round score at 2-over par 72. 
 
The Midshipmen turned in a dominant performance over the two-day tournament, with its 45-over par 885 finish being 39 strokes better than the next closest team (Lehigh, 84-over par 924). Additionally, the overall score of 885 marks the best score for a 54-hole tournament in program history, besting the previous low-score by nine strokes (894, 2018 Nittany Lion Invitational).
 
Navy has now won the Bucknell Invitational in two of the last three seasons and marks the second time in program history the Mids have won a fall tournament.
 
"I am super proud of how our team performed this weekend," said head coach Nadia Ste-Marie. "We managed to work through some tough conditions and ultimately came away with a strong performance."
 
The Midshipmen led wire-to-wire, standing as the only unit in the 11-team field to post multiple rounds below 300. Navy also had five of its seven competitors finish in the top-10.
 
Over the two-day, three-round tournament, Hirtle held the lead after the first day, posting a 3-over par 73 in round one followed by a 2-over par 72 in the second round to enter Sunday with a tournament-best 5-over par 145.
 
On Sunday, Hirtle recorded her second 3-over par 73 of the tournament to finish tied for first in the individual standings at 8-over par 218, tying the second-best overall score in a 54-hole tournament in program history.
 
Tori Smith (Sr., Arlington, Tenn.) finished just one shot off the lead, recording an overall score of 9-over par 219. The senior opened the tournament with a 4-over par 74 before shooting a tremendous 1-under par 69 in Saturday's second round, the lowest single-round score of her career along with tying the fourth-lowest single round score in program history.
 
Smith ultimately finished third in the individual standings after posting a 6-over par 76 in Sunday's final round.
 
Angelina Chan (Jr., Franklin, Tenn.) and Eve Worden (Jr., Phoenix, Ariz.) finished tied for fifth in the individual standings after each posted a 13-over par 223.
 
Chan, who competed as an individual, recorded a career-low score in round one (69) followed by posting a 77 in each of the final two rounds. Chan joined Smith in tying the fourth-lowest single round score in program history with her forementioned first-round 69.
 
Worden posted her lowest score of the tournament with a 3-over par 73 in the invitational's second round, bookended by a 74 in round one and a 76 in Sunday's final round. All three of the junior's scores bested her previous career-low mark of 77.
 
Stephanie Lee (So., Southlake, Texas) tied the lowest score of her career in the second round with a 3-over par 73 after shooting a 4-over par 74 in round one. Lee secured a ninth-place finish with an 8-over par 78 on Sunday.
 
Rounding out the participants in the tournament for Navy was the freshman pairing of Jenna Han (Potomac, N.J.) and Hannah Han-Kim (Mahwah, N.J.) who finished tied for 23rd and tied for 35th, respectively.
 
In her first collegiate action, Han posted a low score of 78 in Saturday's second round in between an 83 in round one and a final round 79. With her 79 in Sunday's final round, Han rose nine spots in the individual standings with a total score of 30-over par 240.
 
Competing as an individual, Han-Kim posted a 36-over par 246 including a 10-over par 80 in the third round to rise six spots in the individual ranks.  
 
Lehigh placed second at 84-over par 924 and LIU finished third with an 88-over par 928 to round out the top-two teams behind Navy.
 
UP NEXT
The Midshipmen will have a quick turnaround as they are set to host the Navy Fall Invitational at the USNA Golf Course October 2-3.