SOUTHEAST DISTRICT PREVIEW PERFORMANCE HIGHLIGHTS GROWTH OF WOMEN'S GOLF TEAM
OXFORD, Ala. — Roane State women's golf head coach Rick Maharry said his team continues to make steady progress after competing at the Southeast District Preview at Cider Ridge Golf Club in Oxford, Alabama — a challenging three-day event that tested every part of the Lady Raiders' game.
After opening with a 394 on the first day, Roane State rebounded with a 370 in the second round, marking one of the team's best collective scores of the season. The improvement reflected both the squad's resilience and growing consistency on the course.
"The first day was a little bit of a struggle," Maharry said. "The course is tight in places, and the greens were really undulated. It took us a while to get used to the speed and layout. But by the second day, they relaxed, just went out and hit the ball without overthinking things — and it showed in the scores."
Sophomore Sydney Romer led the way for Roane State, turning in what Maharry called "one of her best tournaments so far in her collegiate career." Romer's strong showing came just as she was named TCCAA Women's Golfer of the Week for the second time this season — a recognition that Maharry said underscores her continued growth and confidence.
"Sydney's been so consistent," Maharry said. "Her chipping has gotten a lot better, and she's striking the ball really well. She's starting to see the results of all the work she's put in."
Sophomore Raegan Corvette also showed poise under pressure, rebounding from a slow start to post a solid second-day score. Maharry said her turnaround was a key highlight of the weekend.
"She struggled a bit the first day but came back strong," Maharry said. "For her, it's about relaxing and not trying to do too much early on. When she plays the course and lets it come to her, she performs really well."
Rounding out the Lady Raiders' lineup were sophomore Reagan Bailey, sophomore Baye Dobbs, and freshman Alyvia Bitterly, each contributing to the team's balanced performance.
Maharry said the team's focus heading into next week's tournament at Snead State will be refining short-game execution.
"We're going to spend a lot of time on chipping and putting," he said. "If we can tighten those areas up, we'll be right where we need to be. Our goal is to get down around 350 by season's end, and I think that's within reach."
Next week, the Lady Raiders will travel to Boaz, Alabama, for the Snead State Invitational. The tournament will be held from Monday, October 12th through Wednesday, October 14th.