GROVE CITY, Ohio – On a day when no player in the field shot under par and the average score topped 80, Northern Illinois University women's golfers Emily Romancew and Sydney Naro helped the Huskies maintain third place heading into Tuesday's final round of the 2024 Mid-American Conference Women's Golf Championship.
 
The Huskies' 311 score was just one stroke higher than Sunday's 310 mark and ranked as the second-lowest team score of the day, behind only second place Toledo's 305.  Kent State owns a slim two stroke lead over the Rockets with the Huskies 11 strokes back.
 
"The set up was pretty difficult although the conditions were better than [Sunday]," said NIU head coach Kim Kester. "The course is super long and there were some tricky pin positions.  We're not putting ourselves in great scoring positions. If we can eliminate the big misses, stay away from big numbers and keep working, we can finish strong."
 
Romancew (Pierrefonds, Quebec, Can./ Ecole Secondaire Des Sources) led the Huskies for the second consecutive round, matching her first round 76, and is tied for fifth at eight-over par 152. She started the day by shooting even par 36 on the front nine.
 
Naro (Toronto, Ontario, Can./ Hills International Golf Academy) is just one stroke back after Monday's five-over par 77. Her nine-over 153 puts her tied for eighth. Naro led the Huskies with three birdies and shot even par (36) on the back nine.
 
"It's great to see Emily put another solid round together," Kester said. "We know she's going to come to play like that. I'm super proud and pumped for her.  Sydney [Naro] has had a lot of experience in championship tournaments. I know she wants to close out her career on a high note so I wouldn't be surprised to see her go low [Tuesday]."
 
Caroline Kent (Frisco, Texas/ iUniversity Prep) shot 78 for the second straight day to finish the 36 holes tied for 16th at 12-over 156. Kent finished strong, carding a two-over 38 on the back nine with eight pars.
 
A triple bogey on 18 prevented Jasmine Ly (Windsor, Ontario, Can./ Holy Names High School) from recording a score in the 70s in the second round. The Huskie senior posted an 80 for the second consecutive day and is tied for 26th at 16-over par 160.
 
Freshman Eva Nijenhuis, who stepped in to play the second round, shot 87.
 
NIU is 10 strokes ahead of fourth place Akron with Central Michigan fifth, three strokes back.  Kent State's Leon Takagi leads the individual race at one-over 145 with teammate Veronika Kedronova and Toledo's Amelia Lee tied for second, three strokes back.
 
Kester said her goals for the Huskies in Tuesday's final round are simple.
 
"I want to see good golf," she said. "We haven't had that collectively. I want to see top to bottom a performance that includes five good rounds. Not perfect, just put something good together."
 
NIU players will tee off beginning at 8:50 a.m. (CT) Tuesday. Watch final round coverage beginning at 10 a.m. on ESPN+ and follow scores on GolfStat.com.  
 
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