RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. – The Aztec women's golf team tied for sixth at the Mountain West Championships. SDSU shot a 299 (+11) Wednesday, a five-stroke improvement from Tuesday.
The Aztecs, who entered the tournament ranked No. 62 according to Golfstat, will now wait and see if they, or individual golfers, earn an at-large berth to the NCAA Regionals.
Bernice Olivarez Ilas shot a 71 Wednesday, the lowest score by an Aztec over the last three days and tied for the third lowest on the day among all golfers. She had just one bogey, to go with two birdies and 14 pars. She finished the tournament in sixth place with a 220 (+4). This is her second straight top-12 finish at the conference championships (12th, 224 in 2021).
Anna Lina Otten finished tied for 15th after shooting a 225 (+9), which tied for her second best 54-hole score on the year. She shot a 76 (+4) Wednesday with 14 pars and four bogeys.
Sara Kjellker, the 2021 Mountain West Champion, was an even par on the front nine but shot a 41 (+5) on the back nine and ended up with a 77 on the day. Her 54-hole score of 227 (+11) tied for 22nd.
Esti Garcia Rubio also shot a 77 (+5) Wednesday and finished with a 230 (+14).
Anika Sato had her best round of the week Wednesday with a 75, the second lowest score among Aztecs. She bogeyed two of her first three holes and then was just one-over par for the remaining 15 holes.
No. 5 San Jose State won both the team and individual title. They shot an 860 (-4) as a team, 30 strokes ahead of second place New Mexico (+26). Natasha Andrea Oon, the No. 6 golfer in the nation, shot a 206 (-10) to take home the individual title, beating teammate Lucia Lopez-Ortega by seven strokes.
STAT OF THE DAY
Bernice Olivarez Ilas' 71 tied for the third-lowest score on the day.
Mountain West Championships – Complete Results
Dinah Shore Tournament Course (Par 72, 6,270 yards) – Rancho Mirage, California
Team Results (Top 5 & SDSU)
1. No. 5 San Jose St. – 569 – 279-290 (-7)
2. Fresno State – 594 – 291-303 (+18)
3. New Mexico – 595 – 297-298 (+19)
4. Boise State – 892 – 301-296-295 (+28)
5. UNLV – 893 – 303-296-293 (+29)
T-6. San Diego State – 899 – 296-304-299 (+35)
Individual Results (Top 5 & SDSU)
1. Natasha Andrea Oon (SJSU) – 206 – 65-70-71 (-10)
2. Lucia Lopez-Ortega (SJSU) – 213 – 68-73-72 (-3)
T-3. Lauren Lehigh (New Mexico) – 216 – 74-69-73 (-1)
T-3. Kajsa Arwefjall (SJSU) – 216 – 73-71-72 (E)
5. Franca Polla (Boise St.) – 219 – 74-70-75 (+3)
6. Bernice Olivarez Ilas (SDSU) – 220 – 74-75-71 (+4)
T-15. Anna Lina Otten (SDSU) – 225 – 72-77-76 (+9)
T-21. Sara Kjellker (SDSU) – 227 – 76-74-77 (+11)
T-29. Esti Garcia Rubio (SDSU) – 230 – 74-79-77 (+14)
34. Anika Sato (SDSU) – 231 – 78-78-75 (+15)
Aztecs Tie for 6th at MW Championships
