CLE ELUM, Wash. – The San Diego State women's golf team saw its season draw to a close Wednesday after finishing in 12th place at the 2019 NCAA Cle Elum Regional. The Aztecs fired a collective 7-over-par 295 during the final round for a 54-hole total of 889 (+25) at Suncadia Resort's Tumble Creek Course.
SDSU entered the day in a tie for 10th place, just six strokes out of the coveted sixth position, as the top six teams and three low individuals not on those squads advance out of regional competition into the NCAA championship series.
Despite posting their lowest team score of the week, however, the Aztecs slipped two places in the standings, as 11 of 18 schools combined for par or better during the final round on the par-72, 6,306-yard course layout.
Three SDSU players shot a 73 on Wednesday, including Sara Kjellker (Hollviken, Sweden), who recorded the Aztecs' fourth-best individual finish at a regional in program history after landing in the 14th position with an even-par 216. The sophomore sank three birdies, including an impressive conversion on her second green of the day at the par-3, 155-yard No. 11, which ranked as the second-toughest hole of the week. However, four bogeys precipitated her drop of five places on the leaderboard.
Gioia Carpinelli (Boppelsen, Switzerland) experienced a nearly identical fate, tumbling six spots into a tie for 28th at 4-over 220. The SDSU sophomore drained a trio of birdies of her own, including successful makes at the 16th and 18th greens to offset two earlier bogeys. However, two additional bogeys on the back nine derailed her momentum.
Kitty Tam (Hong Kong, China) saved her best for last, logging a team-high 15 pars, as well as a birdie at the par-5 No. 8, to finish her final collegiate event alone in 75th at 13-over 229. Still, the Aztec senior slipped two notches after carding bogeys at No. 16 and No. 2.
Despite a team-high four birdies, Fernanda Escauriza (Asunción, Paraguay) was not immune to the downward trend either, plunging 22 places into a tie for 51st at 8-over 224 after logging her second straight 76. The SDSU junior opened with a drain on the par-4, 400-yard No. 10, which ranked as the seventh-most difficult hole of the tournament to go along with additional conversions at No. 14 and No. 18. She also registered another birdie after the turn at No. 8, but it wasn't enough to overcome a plague of two double bogeys and one triple bogey.
Rounding out the Aztec contingent was Daniela Anastasi (La Jolla, Calif.), who shot a final-round 84 to finish the week in a tie for 91st at 28-over 244. The La Jolla High alumna's round was highlighted by a pair of birdies on the par-3 13th and the par-5 18th.
USC (-20), which led wire-to-wire, captured the Cle Elum Regional team title handily over host Washington (-5), while Northwestern (E), Arkansas (+5), San José State (+8) and UCF (+10) punched their tickets to the NCAA Championships as well.
USC's Jennifer Chang (-11) hung on by one shot to claim medalist honors over Washington's Rino Sasaki (-10) and UCF's Ana Laura Collado (-10), while Oregon's Kathleen Scavo (-7) took fourth, followed by Northwestern's Brooke Riley (-6) and Arkansas' Maria Fassi (-6), who tied for fifth. Riley set a women's course record with a final-round 65.
In addition, Scavo was one of three individuals not on an advancing team to qualify for nationals, joining Ohio State's Aneka Seumanutafa (-5) and Oregon State's Ellie Stama (-3).
San Diego State completed another successful season in 2018-19, highlighted by its second Mountain West championship to go with its sixth consecutive NCAA regional appearance and ninth in the last 10 years.
NCAA Cle Elum Regional
Cle Elum, Wash.
Final Results
Suncadia Resort
Tumble Creek Club
Par 72, 6,306 yards
Team Standings
(Top six advance to NCAA Championships)
1. USC...281-285-278—844 (-20)
2. Washington...285-293-281—859 (-5)
3. Northwestern...284-302-278—864 (E)
4. Arkansas...287-296-286—869 (+5)
5. San José State...289-293-290—872 (+8)
6. UCF... 290-298-286—874 (+10)
7. Ohio State...293-295-287—875 (+11)
8. Oregon State...293-296-288—877 (+13)
9. Oregon...295-296-288—879 (+15)
10. South Carolina...298-296-287—881 (+17)
11. Iowa State...299-301-282—882 (+18)
12. San Diego State...296-298-295—889 (+25)
13. Sacramento State...302-301-282—892 (+28)
14. Old Dominion...293-309-293—895 (+31)
15. Miami (FL)...299-314-289—902 (+38)
16. New Mexico State...321-305-298—924 (+60)
17. Boston University...307-318-312—937 (+73)
18. Southern Illinois...322-320-310—952 (+88)
Individual Leaders (Top 6 of 96 players + SDSU)
1. Jennifer Chang, USC...70-67-68—205 (-11)
T2. Ana Laura Collado, UCF...66-72-68—206 (-10)
T2. Rino Sasaki, Washington...68-70-68—206 (-10)
4. Kathleen Scavo, Oregon...67-72-70—209 (-7)
T5. Brooke Riley, Northwestern...71-74-65—210 (-6)
T5. Maria Fassi, Arkansas...69-72-69—210 (-6)
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14. Sara Kjellker, SDSU...70-73-73—216 (E)
T28. Gioia Carpinelli, SDSU...76-71-73—220 (+4)
T51. Fernanda Escauriza, SDSU...72-76-76—224 (+8)
75. Kitty Tam, SDSU...78-78-73—229 (+13)
T91. Daniela Anastasi, SDSU...79-81-84—244 (+28)
W. Golf Finishes 12th at NCAA Regionals
