Wildcats Split Matches In First Day of Therese Hession Regional Challenge

PALOS VERDES ESTATES, Calif. – No. 26 Arizona Women’s Golf split their pair of matches against SEC foes, losing to South Carolina in the morning before defeating Mississippi State in the afternoon match play action at the Therese Hession Regional Challenge. The Wildcats dropped their match with the Gamecocks by a score of 3-2 after earning points from Nena Wongthanavimok and Charlotte Back. The duo also secured their match play points in the afternoon session as well with Lilas Pinthier also winning her match. Arizona went on to defeat MSU by a score of 3-2, flipping the script from their morning action.

“We knew today was going to be full of challenges with the weather forcing us to play a day early and switch to match play, but I believe our team really battled throughout the day,” said head coach Laura Ianello. “We came up just short in our first match, and our young ladies responded with some determination and focus to come right back out and win the afternoon match of the day. This was a long day of golf, but we showed a lot of composure.”

Wongthanavimok and Back each won both points in Saturday’s two matches with Wongthanavimok defeating MSU’s Samantha Whateley with in 16 holes for the biggest win for the Wildcats on the day.

With inclement weather already forcing an early start and a change of format for the tournament, the Therese Hession Regional Challenge will attempt to resume play for its final round of match play. Arizona will square off with Clemson, weather permitting.

Morning Round: South Carolina def. Arizona 3-2

The Wildcats’ morning match play action versus South Carolina was a back-and-forth affair for much of the morning. Sophomore Nena Wongthanavimok’s match with Mia Sandtorv Lussand of the Gamecocks was indicative of the close battle between the two teams. The two tied nine of the holes played before before Wongthanavimok earned the 1Up decision. Freshman Charlotte Back earned the Cats’ second point of the morning, defeating South Carolina’s Sophia Burnett. Back won the first two holes of her match and never looked back en route to the 3&1 victory.

HANNAH DARLING (SC) def. GILE BITE STARKUTE (ARIZ) 2UP

LOUISE RYDQVIST (SC) def. JULIA MISEMER (ARIZ) 4&3

VAIRANA HECK (SC) def. LILAS PINTHIER (ARIZ) 4&3

NENA WONGTHANAVIMOK (ARIZ) def. MIA SANDTORV LUSSAND (SC) 1UP

CHARLOTTE BACK (ARIZ)…