Trailing the leader by four strokes heading into round three of the Knights and Pirates Invitational, the UCF women’s golf team rallied Tuesday to earn its first win of the spring season. The Knights shot a combined 877 (13-over) to top No. 29 Texas Tech by one stroke at the Suntree Golf Club Classic Course.
UCF has now clinched two team titles in the 2011-12 season, and three overall under head coach Courtney Trimble.
“It was really a team effort, and I told them this morning to grind it out and that every shot counts,” Trimble said after the inaugural event that featured 15 teams. “They fought hard until the last put dropped and it usually comes down to the last shot in collegiate golf.”
The Knights are in search of their first NCAA Regional appearance since 2008-09 and Trimble is happy about the team’s bounce back from Gainesville and momentum heading into the Conference USA Tournament on April 23-25.
“This helps our postseason chances significantly and gives us a taste of victory. It also gives us something to work hard for going into the conference championship. I am excited,” Trimble added.
Katie Mitchell and Carolin Pinegger emerged as UCF’s top finishers by tying for third place with a 2-over 218. Mitchell opened play with a birdie on the first hole and finished out strong by making par on the final 11 holes while Pinegger made par on 16-of-18 holes.
Heather Proctor and Kaitlyn Price shined with UCF’s lowest rounds of the day as the pair each penciled in three birdies on their scorecards en route to even-par 72s. Proctor finished tied for 11th with a 6-over 222, and Price came in right behind her tied for 15th with a 7-over 223.
Although her three-day total was not among UCF’s top four finishers, Monifa Sealy shot even on the front nine and birdied twice on the back nine for the Knights’ second-lowest score of the day with a 73. She shaved strokes off each of her rounds to finish with an overall score of 230 (14-over).
Valentina Fontaine emerged as the top individual finisher of the tournament with a final-round 76 (+4). She bested the next closest solo player by seven strokes.
Texas Tech’s Deborah DeVilla emerged as the overall top finisher with a 3-under 213.
The Knights will enjoy a break from competition before heading to Gulf Shores, Ala., for the Conference USA Tournament on April 23-25.
Team Scores
- UCF 293-292-292=877 (+13)
- Texas Tech 287-294-297=878 (+14)
- Wisconsin 289-302-290=881 (+17)
- Purdue305-295-288=888 (+24)
- Chattanooga 298-298-299=895 (+31)
- Michigan 298-299-298=895 (+31)
Individual Scores
T3 Carolin Pinegger 73-69-76=218 (+2)
T3 Katie Mitchell 70-73-75=218 (+2)
T11 Heather Proctor 77-73-72=222 (+6)
T15 Kaitlyn Price 73-78-72=223 (+7)
T41 Monifa Sealy 80-77-73=230 (+14)
*T21 Valentina Fontaine 74-75-76=225 (+9)
*68 Robyn Doig 85-78-76=239 (+23)
*73 Jordyn Hage 81-80-80=241 (+25)