Despite losing in a playoff, freshman Hannah Buck accomplished two firsts in the two-year history of the Washington University women’s golf program. Buck shot a school-low 74 (+2) at the Illinois College Lady Blues Invite to take second place overall in the tournament and lead the Bears to a third-place finish.

“I just came in hoping to contribute something…it’s really cool, especially being my first time,” Buck said. “Hopefully, I can even shoot lower as the year goes on.”

The program made a name for itself in its inaugural season by jumping into the top 35 programs in Division III, so this season is about proving that the team deserves its ranking.

“We did a good job last year of making a name for ourselves,” said senior Kris Zeschin, who has been a team captain each season. “So now we’re looking to prove that we can be tough contenders and that we can be top five in these big tournaments and make a name for ourselves as a legitimate program.”

Aided by the addition of three freshmen, the Bears started the season with a fifth-place finish at the Maryville University Women’s Fall Warm Up on Sept. 3, a tournament that featured Division II, III and NAIA teams. Buck and freshman Melanie Walsh each fired a 79 (+7) to finish seventh among all golfers in the rain-shortened tournament. Walsh competed as an individual, so her score did not count toward the team total.

Zeschin, junior Kathleen Pettinato, sophomore Katie Homa and senior Margaret Manning rounded out the five-woman team and shot an 83, 87, 88 and 90, respectively, to bring the team’s total score to 337. The total was 20 shots higher than champion Rend Lake Community College.

With Walsh competing as part of the team on Sept. 5, Wash. U. finished a comfortable third at the Lady Blues Invite out of a 16-team field of Division III and NAIA schools. No. 8 Illinois Wesleyan University won the tournament with a score of 309, while the NAIA No. 8 William Woods University finished second with a 319.

In breaking the school scoring record, Buck broke Manning’s school record of 75 with a 74 in the first and only round of the rain-shortened Lady Blues Invite. Buck’s +2 score was tied for best in the tournament before she lost in a playoff.

Walsh shot an 82, Pettinato an 85, Zeschin an 87, and Homa a 91 to put the team’s total score at 328. No. 8 Illinois Wesleyan won the tournament with a score of 209.

As on Thursday, the Bears lost a valuable low score to individual play, as Manning shot a 76, good for third place overall.

Even with the third-place finish at Illinois College, Zeschin said she is confident that the team will improve.

“We’re still trying to iron out some of the kinks,” Zeschin said. “It takes a little while to get into the right swing, but we’re getting there. We’ve definitely improved each time, and hopefully in the next few tournaments we’ll get to show what we have.”

The team returns to action on Saturday for the first round of the Wartburg College Fall Invite in Waverly, Iowa.