Women’s Golf: UVA finishes third at Moon Golf Invitational

Fifth-ranked Virginia finished third at the Moon Golf Invitational in the team’s second tournament of the season, shooting 1-under 287 on Tuesday for a three-day total of 10-under 854. Third-ranked South Carolina won the event at 24-under 840, while No. 10 LSU was second at 846.

The 18-team field included nine teams ranked in the top 25 of the most recent Golfweek poll.

Sophomore Virginia Bossi (Como, Italy) was the Cavaliers’ top finisher, placing 11th at 2-under 214. It was her best finish as a collegiate and her three-round total matched her best tournament score at UVA. During the first round, she equaled her best 18-hole score, shooting 2-under 70.

The five Cavaliers combined to shoot par-or-better in 11 of their 15 rounds and were separated by just three strokes in the final scoring. Sophomore Celeste Valinho (Jacksonville, Fla.) was 13th at 1-under 215 while senior Beth Lillie (Fullerton, Calif.) and junior Riley Smyth (Cary, N.C.) tied for 22nd at 216 and freshman Jennifer Cleary (Wilmington, Del.) was 26th at 217.

“We were very pleased with the team’s ability to compete and finish well, even without their a-games,” said UVA coach Ria Scott. “This team has a real confidence in each other. They know their teammates are doing their very best and that any one of them can break par on any given round.”

Smyth and Cleary had UVA’s best closing scores, shooting 1-under 71 during the third round. Bossi posted a 72 on Tuesday while Valinho shot 73 and Lillie finished with a 74.

Moon Golf Invitational

Team Results

1. South Carolina      280-275-285-840
2. LSU                 285-280-281-846
3. Virginia            285-282-287-854
4. Florida State       285-287-284-856
5. Auburn              289-286-287-862
6. UCF                 282-289-293-864
7. Illinois            287-293-285-865
8. Arkansas            292-282-291-865
9. Alabama             292-288-286-866
10. Louisville          290-288-291-869
11. Florida             291-283-298-872
12. Miami               296-281-295-872
13. Oklahoma            304-287-290-881
14. North Carolina      299-289-297-885
15. Coastal Carolina    299-294-299-892
16. Florida Gulf Coast  307-300-293-900
17. Augusta             304-298-299-901
18. Florida Atlantic    313-302-298-913

Individual Leaders

1. Pauline Roussin-Bouchard, South Carolina 63-67-73-203
2. Latanna Stone, LSU 68-69-70-207
3. Polly Mack, Alabama 72-70-66-208
4. Ana Pelaez, South Carolina 71-67-70-208

Virginia Results

11. Virginia Bossi  70-72-72-214
12. Celeste Valinho 70-72-73-215
13. Beth Lillie     70-72-74-216
14. Riley Smyth     78-67-71-216
15. Jennifer Cleary 75-71-71-217