SOUTHPORT, N.C. – The Elon University women’s golf team improved on its opening day score at the Colonial Athletic Association championship by five shots in Saturday’s second round, as the Phoenix moved into fourth place. 

Elon shot a 13-over par 301 Saturday and surpassed Towson University for fourth place. The Phoenix is 31-over par through 36 holes. 

Second through fifth place on the team leaderboard are separated by just eight shots entering tomorrow’s final round. Defending champion College of Charleston leads the tournament at 11-over par. 

Four Elon players are in the top-15 of the individual standings, including senior Annabelle Ackroyd, who shot a 4-over par 76 in the second round and is tied for 15th place. 

Ackroyd said she hit the ball well but could not convert on many birdie looks. She made just one birdie on the drivable par-4 ninth hole and bogeyed two of her final three holes. 

“I really didn’t make any putts today,” Ackroyd said. “I kind of just wasn’t lucky. Nothing really went my way. No birdie putts dropped for me and I gave a couple back on the way in. Nothing really happened for me today, hopefully it will come together tomorrow.”

Through two rounds, Elon is eighth in the ninth team field with just 11 birdies. While the Phoenix has also made 119 pars, the second most in the tournament, Ackroyd said the team has not been able to make enough birdie putts on the greens at The Reserve Club at St. James. 

“None of us have had our best day and no putts have really dropped for anybody,” Ackroyd said.

 After yesterday’s first round was delayed due to heavy storms early Friday morning, overnight showers left the course soaked again for Saturday’s second round. With the lift, clean and place rule not in effect for the tournament to protect pace of play, Ackroyd said conditions were frustrating. 

“We typically don’t play in these conditions when it’s wet and water’s coming up when you hit,” Ackroyd said. “That was a little challenging and it’s a bit windy and it’s really hot out. 

For the second straight day, junior Lotte Fox and senior Svarin Yuenyong matched scores, as they both shot 4-over par 76s and are tied for eighth place. Yuenyong will try for her second straight top-10 finish in this event in tomorrow’s final round. 

Junior Apple Ngamwong shot Elon’s lowest round of the week with a 1-over 73 which moved her into a tie for 12th. Freshman Annie Wu replaced freshman Ashley Lafontaine in the lineup for the second round. She shot an 8-over par 80 but made one birdie on the par-5 17th hole. 

College of Charleston’s Emma Schimpf is the only player under par, as the sophomore, who finished runner-up at last year’s tournament, made 16 pars and shot an even-par 72 in the second round. 

With a realistic chance to move up as far as second place in the team standings in tomorrow’s final round, which would match Elon’s best ever finish at the event, Ackroyd said the team hopes it can end its season on a high note. 

“Tomorrow will be a good one,” Ackroyd said. “It will be our best one yet.”