ORLANDO – The Georgia State women's golf team shot a final-round 7-over 295 to finish 13th in the UCF Challenge at Eagle Creek Golf Club to open the spring season on Tuesday. The Panthers finished the 54-hole event at 19-over par and just two-strokes from a top-10 finish.
Senior Melissa Siviter shot a final-round 1-under 71, making four birdies, to lead the Panthers on Tuesday. She finished the event tied for 39th at 4-over par.
After opening the tournament with a first round 300, the Panthers responded with an even-par 288 on Monday.
“I am pleased with our first tournament of the year considering we knew we would be rusty going in,” head coach Cathy Mant said. “The weather just has not allowed us to practice, but we still came away with some good wins and are encouraged for the rest of the spring.
“Melissa had a really nice round today and I thought Solene did a nice job this week considering that she was making her debut in the line-up. If it wasn't for one bad hole by the team today, we could have easily been in the top-10 or higher, so we are definitely encouraged.”
Senior Laura Sanchez shot a final-round 76 to finish tied for 50th at 6-over par for the three-day event.
Freshman Solene Le Coz, making her debut in the line-up, fired a final-round 3-over 75 to place tied for 58th at 7-over.
Senior Maria Palacios tied for 68th following a final-round 4-over 76. Palacios had the low round of the tournament for the Panthers this week, shooting a second-round 69 and finished the week at 9-over par.
Junior Lauren Court rounded out the Panthers line-up and shot a final-round 1-over 73 to finish tied for 80th. Court finished the event at 12-over par.
No. 24 UCF won the event by one-stroke, shooting a final round 290 to finish the tournament at 7-under. No. 22 Iowa State finished second at 6-under, followed by No. 33 Miami in third at even par. No. 21 Kentucky finished fourth at 2-over, while Minnesota and No. 49 GRU Augusta finished tied for fifth at 5-over par.
UCF's Fanny Cnops, ranked No. 71 in the nation, won the individual title by three-strokes, finishing at 8-under par. GRU Augusta's Casey Kennedy finished second at 5-under, followed by East Tennessee State's Sian Evans in third at 4-under. SMU's Jenny Haglund, UCF's Ashley Holder and Iowa State's Prima Thammaraks tied for fourth at 3-under par.
Georgia State made its fifth-straight appearance at the event in Orlando, finishing as high as second in 2010.
The normally strong field included eight teams currently ranked in the top-50 in GolfStat.
Georgia State will be back in action March 14-16 at the JMU Eagle Landing Invitational in Orange Park, Fla.
