WESTFIELD, IN – Playing its best golf of the week, the 25th-ranked Virginia women’s golf team finished fourth at the NCAA Regional in Westfield, Ind., to advance to the NCAA Championships.
UVA was led by sophomore Amanda Sambach who shared medalist honors at 13-under 203. Sambach was this year’s ACC individual champion. Mississippi State’s Julia Lopez Ramirez, the SEC individual champion, also finished at 203.
The Cavaliers shot a season-best 10-under 278 during Wednesday’s final round for a three-day total of 15-under 849. UVA’s single-round and team scores were the best for an NCAA Regional in program history.
Sambach posted a final round score of 4-under 68. Her 54-hole score was the best ever by a Cavalier at an NCAA Regional site. She was one shot off the school record (-14, 202) she used to win the ACC title. Sambach enters the NCAAs having played her last six rounds at 27-under-par.
“We are very proud of the team’s performance this week, and especially today,” said head coach Ria Scott. “They really came through when it mattered most. They all hit lots of greens this week. Aside from Amanda, the squad just couldn’t get anything to drop in those first couple of rounds. It was nice to see things come together today.
“They got more and more comfortable with the course with each round, and are trending in the right direction. I am proud of each and every one of our student-athletes. They know it will take a full team effort for more success this postseason. We are excited to head back to Grayhawk with a squad that is very experienced there.”
Sambach becomes the third Cavalier to finish first at an NCAA Regional. Calle Nielson was the first to accomplish the feat, placing first in 2010 at the West Regional at Stanford. In 2016, Elizabeth Szokol shared first-place honors, also at the Stanford Golf Course.
“Amanda continues to play impressive golf,” Scott said. “She was able to put up great numbers without perfection. She has a confidence and ease about her on the course that is reassuring to her teammates.”
Virginia’s Celeste Valinho and Megan Propeck also shot 4-under 68 during the final round. Valinho finished 13th at 4-under 212 while Propeck was 21st at 2-under 214. That was Propeck’s best 18-hole score as a collegiate. Rebecca Skoler rounded out the Cavaliers scoring with a 2-over 74. She finished 37th at 5-over 221. Jennifer Cleary was 52nd at 226.
Virginia will be making its 13th appearance at the…
..