FLEMING ISLAND, Fla. --- The Tusculum women's golf team posted a two-day score of 603 and finished runner-up at the 2018 Lincoln Memorial Spring Kickoff Intercollegiate. The Pioneers finished two shots behind tournament winner Lenoir-Rhyne, who carded a final round 301 to shoot 601 to claim the title.
Lenoir-Rhyne was led by medalist Abbey Hartsell, who shot back-to-back rounds of 70 for a two-under par total of 140 winning by six strokes over teammate Ainee O'Connor (74-72=146) and LMU's Lise Malherbe (72-74=146).
The Pioneers were led by junior Katie Tomassoni who finished in fifth place individually with a 36-hole total of 75-73=148. In Tuesday's final round, she was three over par after nine holes, but came back with birdies on No. 12 and No. 18 to card a one-under par 35 on her final nine. It was also her fifth top-5 performance this year.
Wingate, the No. 11 team in NCAA Division II, finished five shots behind the Pioneers as the Bulldogs carded a 608. Lincoln Memorial was fourth with 616, followed by North Georgia (622), Queens (626), Belmont Abbey (630), Carson-Newman (632), Coker (637) and Southern Wesleyan (647).
Tusculum senior Ciara Rattana tied for sixth place with her 73-76=149. Rattana shot even par on her outward nine as she carded three birdies, three bogeys and three pars. She posted triple-bogey seven on No. 14 but bounced back with a birdie on No. 16 to shoot 40 on her second nine.
Junior Cydney Murrell also finished tied for sixth place with 71-78=149. In her final round, Murrell tallied 12 pars, five bogeys and one double bogey to log her fifth top-10 finish of the season.
TC junior Taylor White finished tied for 23rd place with 77-80=157 for her third top-25 showing of the year.
Senior Sayre Hopper, playing as an individual competitor, placed 52nd with her two-day score of 94-103=197.
Tusculum's 603 total is the lowest 36-hole team score this year and tied for the fourth lowest in program history.
Tusculum returns to action March 19-20 for the Wingate Challenge, which will be held at the Rolling Hills Country Club in Monroe, North Carolina.