COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho (September 19, 2022) – Fifth-year
Aleksandra Chekalina matched a career-low round on Monday in the second round of the Coeur d'Alene Resort Collegiate Invitational, shooting 3-under par 68 to vault herself into a tie for 10th individually. Chekalina's fifth career round in the 60s helped the Northern Arizona golf team move up three spots to 12th on the team leaderboard as the Lumberjacks shot 8-over par 292 on the day.
NAU entered Monday in 15th and was seven strokes better in the second round. The Lumberjacks are 23-over par 591 (299-292) and will go into the final round just three strokes out of the top 10.
At the forefront on Monday was Chekalina, whose 3-under par 68 was tied for the second-lowest round of the day. It was the fourth time that Chekalina carded a 3-under par in her career and the first since the third round of the 2021 Red Rocks Invitational.
Chekalina, who is at 1-under par 141 (73-68), was particularly sensational on the front nine, recording four of her five birdies. Sitting at 1-over par seven holes into the day, Chekalina played her final 11 holes to 4-under par to move up 14 spots on the individual leaderboard.
Shooting the Lumberjacks' second-lowest round was freshman
Ellena Slater, who fired off a 2-over par 73. Slater recorded two birdies in her first six holes and ultimately was four strokes better than Sunday. Slater is tied for 50th at 8-over par 150 (77-73) after moving up 20 spots.
Freshman
Lizzie Neale is tied for 40th following a 4-over par 75 on Monday. Neale posted consecutive birdies on 14 and 15, and overall sits at 6-over par 148 (73-75) through two rounds.
Senior
Lorel Hayward and freshman
Nina Lukyanenko are tied for 70th at 11-over par 153. Behind four birdies, Hayward shot 5-over par 76 to follow up a first round 6-over par 77. Meanwhile, Lukyanenko's 6-over par 77 was highlighted by her first career eagle on the par-4 17.
Chekalina's five birdies brought her tournament total to eight, just two off the individual-high. Slater, who recorded par on 13 of 18 holes including eight of her last nine on Monday, has a team-high 24 pars.
The final 18 holes at Coeur d'Alene Resort Golf Course will begin on Tuesday with a 7:30 a.m. shotgun start.
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Full Team Leaderboard
1. Sacramento State – 284-279 = 563 (-5)
T2. Oral Roberts – 286-284 = 570 (+2)
T2. Nevada – 287-283 = 570 (+2)
4. Gonzaga – 289-285 = 574 (+6)
5. Cal State Fullerton – 295-284 = 579 (+11)
6. Grand Canyon – 294-287 = 581 (+13)
7. Seattle – 291-291 = 582 (+14)
8. UC Riverside – 294-291 = 585 (+17)
9. Northern Illinois – 296-291 = 587 (+19)
10. Cincinnati – 296-292 = 588 (+20)
11. Wyoming – 295-294 = 589 (+21)
12. Northern Arizona – 299-292 = 591 (+23)
13. San Francisco – 291-301 = 592 (+24)
14. Long Beach State – 297-296 = 593 (+25)
15. Florida International – 303-295 = 598 (+30)
16. Santa Clara – 300-302 = 602 (+34)
17. Georgetown – 294-310 = 604 (+36)
18. Southern Utah – 306-299 = 605 (+37)
19. Hawai'i – 305-301 = 606 (+38)
NAU Individual Scores
T10.
Aleksandra Chekalina – 73-68 = 141 (-1)
T40.
Lizzie Neale – 73-75 = 148 (+6)
T50.
Ellena Slater – 77-73 = 150 (+8)
T71.
Lorel Hayward – 77-76 = 153 (+11)
T70.
Nina Lukyanenko – 76-77 = 153 (+11)
