Bucknell University Athletics
Friday, September 11
Lewisburg, Pa.
All Day
Bucknell University
vs
Bucknell Invitational
Women’s Golf Two Shots off Lead, Johnson Tied for First after First Round of Home Invitational
9/11/2026 4:31:00 PM | Women's Golf
RESULTS
LEWISBURG, Pa. – The Bucknell women's golf team began play in its annual fall invitational with a round of 294 on Friday in beautiful mid-September conditions at the Bucknell Golf Club. Led by an even-par 70 from sophomore Joelle Johnson, the Bison are in second place in the 14-team field, just two shots behind Columbia.
Johnson endured a roller-coaster of a front nine and is tied for the individual lead with Christine Chang, who is playing with Columbia's B squad. Johnson birdied the first hole, but bogeys on three straight holes put her at 2-over par. She answered by holing out for eagle on the sixth hole followed by a birdie on the seventh. After a double bogey on the ninth, Johnson went bogey-free on the back nine, with a birdie on the 17th getting her back to even on the day.
Junior Sophia Bardunias was right behind Johnson with a 72 (+2). She played a clean round with three bogeys and birdie on the ninth. Bardunias was 1-over-par on both the front and back nine. Freshman Mattea Issa began he tournament with a 76. Issa started 2-over through three holes before parring the final six holes for a 38 on the front. She finished 4-over on the inward nine.
Junior Nicole Yun also carded a 76. Yun was 3-over par on both the front and back nine. Freshman Rayne Ripperger made her collegiate debut and carded an 80. She birdied the par-3 13th hole and was 4-over par on the back nine.
Bucknell's B team would be sixth on the leaderboard with a 302 in the first round. Bucknell's second group started from the 10th tee, and Lila Smith led that unit with a 74, making one birdie on the day. The senior was 1-under-par through 10 holes before some bogeys down the final stretch.
Senior Katherine Vice fired a 76 for Bucknell's B Team with a birdie on the fourth hole. Freshman Mannat Virk and sophomore Darcy Wright also carded 76s in their first round. Wright was 2-over par on the back nine holes with birdie on the par-3 16th hole. Virk was 5-over-par on her first nine holes but battled back to shoot 1-over on her final nine holes. She birdied the second and ninth holes to finish her round. Sophomore Caroline Zeiger carded an 82 and sits at 12-over-par after 18 holes.
Johnson and Chang have plenty of company at the top of the individual leaderboard. Miran Ontanon of Manhattan is one shot back at 1-over, and 19 players are within five shots of the lead with 36 holes still to go. Bardunias (T-4th) and Smith (T-12) are two of those 19.
In addition to the top pairing of Columbia and Bucknell, FDU (298) and UAlbany (299) also broke 300. Le Moyne is fifth at 307.
The second round gets underway on Saturday at 9 a.m.
LEWISBURG, Pa. – The Bucknell women's golf team began play in its annual fall invitational with a round of 294 on Friday in beautiful mid-September conditions at the Bucknell Golf Club. Led by an even-par 70 from sophomore Joelle Johnson, the Bison are in second place in the 14-team field, just two shots behind Columbia.
Johnson endured a roller-coaster of a front nine and is tied for the individual lead with Christine Chang, who is playing with Columbia's B squad. Johnson birdied the first hole, but bogeys on three straight holes put her at 2-over par. She answered by holing out for eagle on the sixth hole followed by a birdie on the seventh. After a double bogey on the ninth, Johnson went bogey-free on the back nine, with a birdie on the 17th getting her back to even on the day.
Junior Sophia Bardunias was right behind Johnson with a 72 (+2). She played a clean round with three bogeys and birdie on the ninth. Bardunias was 1-over-par on both the front and back nine. Freshman Mattea Issa began he tournament with a 76. Issa started 2-over through three holes before parring the final six holes for a 38 on the front. She finished 4-over on the inward nine.
Junior Nicole Yun also carded a 76. Yun was 3-over par on both the front and back nine. Freshman Rayne Ripperger made her collegiate debut and carded an 80. She birdied the par-3 13th hole and was 4-over par on the back nine.
Bucknell's B team would be sixth on the leaderboard with a 302 in the first round. Bucknell's second group started from the 10th tee, and Lila Smith led that unit with a 74, making one birdie on the day. The senior was 1-under-par through 10 holes before some bogeys down the final stretch.
Senior Katherine Vice fired a 76 for Bucknell's B Team with a birdie on the fourth hole. Freshman Mannat Virk and sophomore Darcy Wright also carded 76s in their first round. Wright was 2-over par on the back nine holes with birdie on the par-3 16th hole. Virk was 5-over-par on her first nine holes but battled back to shoot 1-over on her final nine holes. She birdied the second and ninth holes to finish her round. Sophomore Caroline Zeiger carded an 82 and sits at 12-over-par after 18 holes.
Johnson and Chang have plenty of company at the top of the individual leaderboard. Miran Ontanon of Manhattan is one shot back at 1-over, and 19 players are within five shots of the lead with 36 holes still to go. Bardunias (T-4th) and Smith (T-12) are two of those 19.
In addition to the top pairing of Columbia and Bucknell, FDU (298) and UAlbany (299) also broke 300. Le Moyne is fifth at 307.
The second round gets underway on Saturday at 9 a.m.
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Golf
Wednesday, September 09
Wednesday, September 09
Sunday, September 06
Saturday, September 05