Aug 12, 2010 By Jim Downey 3 min read

The last time the stroke play medalist continued on to win the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship was 25 years ago. The co-medalists, including Waynesburg’s Rachel Rohanna, moved one match closer to breaking that streak with victories in the round of 64 Wednesday at Charlotte (N.C.) Country Club.

Rohanna rallied from 2-down with seven holes to play for a 1-up victory over Isabel Han. Erynne Lee needed 19 holes to defeat Isabelle Lendl, while Jaclyn Sweeney had an easier time as she beat Jaclyn Jansen, 6 and 5.

Rohanna plays Marina Alex, of Wayne, N.J., in the round of 32 today at 7:30 a.m. on the 6,559-yard, par-72 course. Alex, the No. 32 seed, advanced with a 2 and 1 victory over Victoria Tanco, of Bradenton, Fla.

Rohanna’s confidence has been running high, fueled by her tournament-record 7-under 65 in Monday’s first round of stroke play. Even though she trailed relatively late in the match, she didn’t lose faith in herself.

“She was making good putts and hit some really good shots. She played well,” said Rohanna. “I was 2-down with seven holes to go, but there was a par-5 (No. 12, 574 yards) and a really long par-4 (No. 16, 418 yards), and that was an advantage to me.

“I told myself to just keep playing like I had been this week.”

Rohanna sliced Han’s lead in half on No. 12 when she parred the par-5, and went all square on the next hole with another par to Han’s bogey.

The two golfers matched pars on the next two holes, both par-4s, but Rohanna regained the lead she held on the second hole when she parred the long No. 16 while Han, who survived a six-way playoff for the final match play berth, had another bogey. The two matched pars on the final two holes, a 119-yard par-3 and 421-yard par-4.

After Rohanna took the lead on No. 2, Han tied the match on the next hole with a birdie and went 1-up with a par on No. 6, a 383-yard par-4. She extended her lead by a stroke when Rohanna bogeyed No. 7, a 497-yard par-5, to Han’s par.

Han maintained at least a one-hole advantage until No. 12, going 2-up on two other occasions.

Rohanna’s putter managed to keep her alive on several holes.

“I missed a couple of 5-footers, but I made some good solid putts. I made a really good 20-footer to save par on No. 16,” said Rohanna. “I felt confident in my game. I felt I had a good chance to come back.”

Rohanna has warmed to match play, but had never come from behind before.

“This is the first match I’ve won from being down in a match,” said Rohanna. “It gives me so much more confidence going into the rest of the week.”

The weather remained hot and balmy, so Rohanna doesn’t mind the early tee time.

“I’ll get out before it gets too hot. The greens will be a little softer before they dry out,” explained Rohanna.

A victory moves Rohanna into the round of 16 later in the day with a 1 p.m. tee time against the winner of the Cydney Clanton-Kristen Park match.