Stockbridge, Ga. - Paced by junior Charlotte Lorentzen's top-10 finish, the Georgia State women's golf team wrapped up play at the John Kirk/Panther Intercollegiate with a share of 11th place in the 15-team field. This year's event marked the 18th year of the Panther's home tournament, including the last 10 years at Eagle's Landing Country Club.
Georgia State improved its shooting during the final round of stroke play, finishing Tuesday's 18 holes at 301 (+13). Only four teams posted lower scores during Tuesday's last round of competition. With the Panthers enhanced performance, they were able to move up one spot in the rankings to finish in a tie for 11th place alongside Arkansas State with a total score of 925 (+61).
Lorentzen remained Georgia State's top individual throughout the final round, shooting a 1-over 73 to continue to improve upon her first and second round 75 and 74, respectively. The Soroe, Denmark native struggled with a couple of bogeys in the front nine but birdied holes four and 18 to finish the tournament with a total score of 222 (+6) and a share of seventh place, her eighth career top-10 finish.
After collecting a career-low 71 during the second round, freshman Laura Sanchez fired three birdies to card a 2-over 74 in the final 18 holes to finish with a total score of 227 (+11) and a share of 18th place. The Bogota, Colombia native's portion of 18th place represents her second top-20 as well as the highest finish of her career. Sanchez's previous best finish was a tie for 19th place in the 2010 William K. Warren Irish Invitational.
Freshman Solveig Helgesen also saw improvement during the final round of competition, bettering her first and second round scores by two strokes. She shot a 6-over 78 to finish with a total score of 238 (+22) and a share of 49th place. Redshirt-junior Cherishton Brett carded an 87 in the third round to finish in 74th place with 252 (+36).
Despite being disqualified from individual competition in the opening round, junior Charlotte Guilleux was once again able to contribute to Georgia State's team total with her final round 4-over 76.
No. 25 Notre Dame held onto the top spot throughout the third round to claim title as 2011 champions of the John Kirk/Panther Intercollegiate with a final score of 888 (+24) and a margin of victory of 17 strokes. Maryland took the runner-up spot with a final score of 905 (+41) followed by East Tennessee State (906), Daytona State (909) and James Madison (913).
In individual competition, Mitsuki Katahira of Daytona State took medalist honors with a record-breaking third round 6-under 66 to finish at 6-under for the event. Katahira's final round score set a tournament record for lowest individual round, breaking the previous record by two strokes. Notre Dame's Becca Huffer fell one spot to take the silver, finishing 5-under. Jessie Hollandsworth of Maryland claimed bronze at 3-under.
The Georgia State women's golf team will return to the links April 1-3 as the team travels to Athens, Ga. to compete in the Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic hosted by the University of Georgia.
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