Flashes Hold Team and Individual Lead with 18 Holes to Play at Canadian Collegiate
9/22/2025 6:29:00 PM | Women's Golf
AURORA, Ontario – The Kent State women's golf team holds a three-stroke lead atop the Canadian Collegiate following round one, contested at Beacon Hall Golf Course on Monday. The Golden Flashes were led by Veronika Kedronova, who built a two-stroke individual lead with 18 holes remaining in the tournament. After a weather delay early in the day, which has shortened the Canadian Collegiate to a 36-hole event, Kent State fired a 7-under-par 281, the team's lowest round in three events thus far in the Fall.
With the tournament set to conclude after tomorrow's second round, the Flashes hold a three-stroke lead over the Auburn Tigers at the halfway point, who were the only other team to record a score under par on Monday with a 4-under-par 284. Ole Miss and Virginia are tied for third place among the 12 teams competing at 2-over-par. Kent State is in pole position for a second consecutive team victory, after the Flashes claimed first place at the Wolverine Invitational in the team's previous outing two weeks ago.
Kedronova highlighted a day to remember for the Flashes by matching her career-low round with a 6-under-par 66. The star junior, who recorded two individual wins in the 2024-25 season, fired her eighth career round in the 60s on Monday to hold a two-stroke advantage atop the individual standings with 18 holes remaining. Kedronova led the field of 66 players with seven birdies in round one to put herself in pole position to chase individual win number four of her career in Tuesday's final round.
After posting top-five finishes in the opening two events of the Fall, Leon Takagi continued a hot start to her senior season on Monday. The Japanese international carded a 3-under-par 69 in round one, her second round of the season in the 60s and eighth of her career. Three strokes behind Kedronova for the individual lead, Takagi is tied for third place at the Canadian Collegiate. Fueled by five birdies in round one, Takagi is in a strong position to chase a third consecutive top-five finish in the second and final round on Tuesday.
Isabella Goyette was the third Golden Flash to card a score under par in round one on Monday. The Ohio native tallied three birdies to just one bogey, earning a 2-under-par 70 for her best round of the young season. After recording her eighth career round of par or better on Monday, Goyette is tied for sixth place ahead of round two on Tuesday.
Kent State's final countable score toward the team total on Monday came from Aryn Matthews. The Ontario native competing on home soil fired a 4-over-par 76 in round one to sit tied for 30th with 18 holes to play. Matthews carded Kent State's first eagle of the season on hole no. 10, tallying three strokes on the 514-yard par-5.
The Golden Flashes will search for their second win of the season in the second and final round of the Canadian Collegiate, beginning on Tuesday morning.
Back in Ohio on Sunday and Monday, Kent State had three individuals competing at the Roseann Schwartz Invitational. Kristen Belden earned a tied-fifth place finish at 5-over-par after carding rounds of 73 and 76. Freshman Alexa Prettyman, making her collegiate debut, recovered from a 9-over-par 81 on Sunday with an even-par 72 on Monday to finish tied for ninth at 9-over-par.
Canadian Collegiate Standings (Round 1)
1. Kent State: 281 (-7)
2. Auburn: 284 (-4)
T-3. Ole Miss: 290 (+2)
T-3. Virginia: 290 (+2)
5. Michigan: 295 (+7)
6. Tennessee: 301 (+13)
T-7. Michigan State: 302 (+14)
T-7. USF: 302 (+14)
9. Purdue: 304 (+16)
10. Rutgers: 307 (+19)
11. British Columbia: 308 (+20)
12. Central Michigan: 321 (+33)
Kent State Standings (Round 1)
1. Veronika Kedronova: 66 (-6)
T-3. Leon Takagi: 69 (-3)
T-6. Isabella Goyette: 70 (-2)
T-30. Aryn Matthews: 76 (+4)
T-37. Petra Babicova(i): 77 (+5)
T-46. Gracie Larsen: 78 (+6)
Roseann Schwartz Invitational Standings (Final)
T-5. Kristen Belden: 73-76 = 149 (+5)
T-9. Alexa Prettyman: 81-72 = 153 (+9)
T-39. Emma Visnovska: 84-86 = 170 (+26)
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