Piccio, Ardina sustain form, make quarterfinals

MANILA, Philippines - Mia Piccio and Dottie Ardina essayed a pair of lopsided victories in the morning match but struggled in the afternoon before eking out come-from-behind victories to barge into the quarterfinal round of the 80th Women’s Trans Amateur Championship match play event at The Country Club of Lincoln in Nebraska Thursday.

Piccio, who won the low medal in the 36-hole stroke play elims, frolicked against Anna Christenson, 5&4, in the Last 32 stage but needed to fight back from one hole down after nine holes to turn back Eleana Collins, 3&2, and clinch a quarterfinal berth in the upper half of the draw.

Ardina, who lost by one to Piccio in the qualifiers, thumped Kyndall Argoin, 6&5, in their morning duel but found herself down by two holes in her Last 16 match with Chelsea Stelzmiller.

But she rallied at the back, winning four straight holes from No. 12 to turn a two-hole deficit into a 2-up lead which she preserved en route to a 2&1 victory.

Those wins sent the top ICTSI bets to the Last 8 as teammate Lovelynn Guioguio failed in her bid after absorbing a 3&2 decision from Heather Lott in the Last 32 match.

Piccio battles Emma Lavy for a berth in the semis while Ardina takes on Agotina Parmigiani in the featured match in the lower half of the bracket.

“They showed composure in their afternoon matches, especially Dottie, who surprised her rival by that four-hole romp at the back,” said ICTSI coach Bong Lopez.

With Stelzmiller one-putting five holes at the front, Ardina found herself down by two going to No. 10. Stelzmiller rolled in another birdie from 20 feet at the par-5 11th but Ardina countered with her own birdie from 10 feet to avoid falling 3 holes down.