UNCG gets first win since Sept. 2000, edges East Carolina on tiebreaker

GREENSBORO, N.C. – On the fifth-player scorecard tiebreaker, UNC Greensboro edged out defending tournament champion East Carolina for team title at the UNCG-Starmount Fall Classic at historic Starmount Forest Country Club on Tuesday.

The Spartans shot a final round 303, while the Pirates carded a final round 301 to finish tied at 894. UNCG’s third through fifth golfers each recorded rounds of 78 on Tuesday, while East Carolina’s fifth score was a 79 by Ana Maria Puche. That gave the Spartans their first tournament title under head coach Emily Marron and the first since September 25-26, 2000 when they won the Memphis Intercollegiate. UNCG's 894 was also the program's best 54-hole team score ever, besting last spring's 897 at the UNCW Lady Seahawk Classic.

The Spartans nearly won it twice in regulation on the final hole. In the next to last group, Erica Creed had a five-foot birdie putt rim out on No. 18. Then, Annelie Weimenhog narrowly missed a 20-footer for eagle at No. 18. But the Spartans already had the tiebreaker wrapped up at that point.

Illinois State’s Stacey Miller won the individual title with a final round 72 to finish at five-over 218. She was two shots better than second-round leader Abby Bools, who shot a 77 on Tuesday. UNCG’s Creed was the only golfer to shoot par on Tuesday, using her 71 to tie for third with UNC Wilmington’s Ashley Tait. Three straight birdies to close out the front side gave Creed a 33 at the turn. She had seven pars and a pair of bogeys – Nos. 10 and 13 – to finish the round at even-par and the tournament at plus-8.

The first hole in one in the tournament’s two-year history was recorded on Tuesday. UNCG freshman Ana Lucia Martinez, playing as an individual golfer, scored an ace on No. 10, a 144-yard par-3. She hit a seven-iron to record her first collegiate ace and the second in her lifetime. Martinez, a native of Bogota, Columbia, did it with her parents in attendance. She finished the tournament in 39th place after a final round 82 on Tuesday.

UNCG returns to action on October 24 when it begins play at the Landfall Tradition in Wilmington, NC.

AGATE

TEAM SCORING: UNCG 894 (wins on tie-breaker), East Carolina (894), UNC Wilmington 901, Georgia State 914, Florida International 922, James Madison 924, South Florida 924, Western Carolina 927, Illinois State 929, East Tennessee State 930, Augusta State 935, Miami (FL) 937, Elon 943, Mississippi State 945, Winthrop 959.

INDIVIDUAL SCORING:

Top 10: 1. Stacey Miller, Illinois State Univ. - 74 -  72 - 72= 218; 2. Abby Bools, East Carolina Univ. - 68 -  75 - 77= 220; T-3. Erica Creed, UNCG - 74 -  76 - 71= 221; T-3. Ashley Tait, UNC Wilmington - 75 -  71 - 75= 221; T-5. Anna Scott, Georgia State Univ. - 72 -  75 - 75= 222; T-5. Mary Betancourt, Augusta State - 74 -  75 - 73= 222; T-5. Annelie Weimenhog, UNCG - 73 -  73 - 76= 222; T-8. Carmen Perez, UNC Wilmington - 74 -  73 - 77= 224; T-8. Ashley Parrott, UNCG - 73 -  73 - 78= 224; 10. Josefine Sundh, Western Carolina U. - 74 -  76 - 75= 225;

Other UNCG Golfers: T-19. Sofia Aidemark 78-73-78=229; T-39. Ana Lucia Martinez (indiv.) 74-79-82=235; T-50. Lauren Smith 87-74-78=239; T-58. Jennifer Link (indiv.) 80-85-77=242.

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