Greenville, N.C. - Despite posting the best round of the day, the Georgia State women's golf team fell short of first place by just three strokes to take the runner-up spot at the Lady Pirate Intercollegiate Tuesday afternoon. Senior Charlotte Lorentzen and Sophomore Laura Sanchez paced the Panthers with top 15 finishes.
Georgia State fired the lowest score of the third round, a 2-over 290, to climb three spots up the leaderboard and claim second place in the 20-team field with a final score of 882 (+18). The teams' low-scoring performance represents the first time it has posted a three-round total under 900 since its last appearance at this event in 2009. Along with the low 54-hole score, the 68th-ranked Panthers' runner-up finish included a win over host and 40th-ranked East Carolina, who finished five strokes back from GSU in third.
"This was our first tournament of the season where we had to play 36 holes in one day," said head coach Cathy Mant. "The thing I'm really proud of is after a long day on the course yesterday, everyone stuck in there and came back ready to play today. We impressed with the lowest round of the day. We still have a little to work on, but I'm really proud of the progress we've made since last week."
The Panthers' finest performance of the day came from Solveig Helgesen who jumped 38 spots after recording a new career-low round of 69, bettering her previous best round by five strokes. Helgesen had an impressive start, recording six birdies on the day with five coming in her first eight holes. With only two over-par shots on her scorecard, Helgesen finished the day in a tie for 26th place at 9-over.
"I'm so excited for Solveig (Helgesen)," said Mant. "She went out there today and played really steady. Getting six birdies is just fantastic. It was nice to see her hard work pay off and I'm so happy she had such a great round."
Georgia State's top finisher Lorentzen once again led the Panthers with a final round 73 to complete the tournament with a share of seventh place at 1-over. The Soroe, Denmark native recorded the most birdies of all 104 participants with 14 spread throughout the 54 holes.
Beginning the round in a tie for 31st place, Sanchez ascended the leaderboard to finish in a tie for 15th place at 6-over. The Bogota, Columbia native started the day's competition with three birdies on her first four holes, followed with another birdie on the back nine. Sanchez stumbled with two double bogeys throughout her final five holes to finish the day at even par.
Senior Charlotte Guilleux shot 81 on the day to finish with a share of 23rd place at 8-over. Freshman Lauren Court matched her opening round 76 on the final day of competition to finish in a tie for 52nd place at 16-over.
Defending champions Maryland reclaimed the title with a final score of 15-over 879, beating out Georgia State by just three strokes. No. 40 East Carolina took third place with 887 (+23) followed by UNC Greenboro (890) and UNC Wilmington (898) in fourth and fifth, respectively.
In individual competition, Old Dominion's Samantha Morrell took the top spot with a final round 71 to finish the tournament at 4-under. Trailing Morrell by just one stroke was a four-way tie for second place including Laverry Kumar (UNC Wilmington), Amy Otteson (East Carolina), Juliet Vongphaumy (Maryland) and Laura Wearn (Furman).
Georgia State will have over two weeks of rest and preparation before returning to the links for its final tournament of the fall season. The Panthers will make a return trip to the Lady Paladin Invitational in Greenville, S.C., Oct. 29-31.
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