Women’s golf runner-up finish in Oyster Shuck Match Play

Charleston, SC Two of Tuesday’s five championship matches required a playoff hole to decide the winner, as top-seeded James Madison edged defending champion Western Carolina 3.0-2.0 to clinch the 2023 Oyster Shuck Match Play hosted by The Citadel at the par-72, 5,810-yard Charleston Municipal Golf Course .

WCU’s runner-up finish was its third podium finish in the match-play event in the last two seasons, while running either a championship or runner-up streak to five straight to start the 2022-23 season. The Catamounts opened the year with three straight titles and runner-up finishes in their last two tournaments and finished the fall with a runner-up finish at the Buccaneer Classic before today’s runner-up finish at the Oyster Shuck.

Five years older Madison Isaacson claimed all three of her matches for the tournament-leading Catamounts, defeating JMU’s Amelia Williams in 2UP Tuesday’s final round. Redshirt freshman Kayleigh Baker picked up the second match win of the event with a 1UP win over Haley Quickel.

Both parents Victoria Ladd and a freshman Brie Mapanao their rounds extended to 19 holes as Mapanao dropped 1UP before Ladd lost 1UP to Kate Owens in the deciding point. Second year student Elizabeth Lohbauer dropped his match to JMU’s Kendall Turner, 2&1.

WCU advanced to Monday’s opening round with a 3.5-1.5 win over Appalachian State before defeating in-state Southern Conference foe UNCG 4.5-0.5 to reach the event’s championship game.

Western Carolina returns to the South Carolina Lowcountry in two weeks for the RiverTowne Invitational hosted by Charleston Southern at RiverTowne Country Club in Mt. in Pleasant, SC.

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Championship match (Tuesday, February 14):

James Madison (3.0) def. Western Carolina (2.0)

Kate Owens (JMU) def Victoria Ladd (WCU), 1UP ^
Madison Isaacson (WCU) def Amelia Williams (JMU), 2UP
Kayleigh Baker (WCU) defeated Haley Quickel (JMU), 1UP
Kayleigh Reinke (JMU) won Brie Mapanao (WCU), 1UP ^
Kendall Turner (JMU) def Elizabeth Lohbauer (WCU), 2&1
^ – 19 holes

Winner’s Semi-Final Match (Mon, February 13):

Western Carolina (4.5) beat UNCG (0.5)
Madison Isaacson (WCU) defeated Anna Bowman (UNCG), 4 and 3
Kayleigh Baker (WCU) defeated Victoria Cook (UNCG), 3&2
Elizabeth Lohbauer (WCU midfielder Ava Romfo (UNCG), AS
Brie Mapanao (WCU) defeated Grace Holcomb (UNCG), 2UP
Victoria Ladd (WCU) def Julia Baeumke (UNCG), 1UP

Opening match (Mon, 13 February):

Western Carolina (3.5) def. Application Status (1.5)
Madison Isaacson (WCU) def Meghan Mitchell (APP), 7&5
Brie Mapanao (WCU) halves Braelyn Pippin (APP), AS
Elizabeth Lohbauer (WCU) defeated Layla Meric (APP), 4&3
Victoria Ladd (WCU) def Jacquelyn Taylor (APP), 7&6
Hannah Wang (APP) def Kayleigh Baker (WCU), 5&3