ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico (UNLVRebels.com) - UNLV women's golf wrapped up the final round of New Mexico's Dick McGuire/Branch Law Firm Invitational Tuesday, carding its best single round score of the event at 4-over to finish in a tie for 8th at 15-over 879. The Rebels jumped two spots after heading into the final day in 10th place.

Two Rebels - reigning Mountain West Player of the Year Polly Mack and freshman Veronica Joels both finished in the top-25, with Mack carding a three-round score of 1-over 217 to tie for 15th and Joels shooting a 3-over 219 to tie for 23rd. Joels had the top round of the day for the Scarlet and Gray as she shot a 1-under 71 to close out her first career collegiate tournament. Senior Elizabeth Prior came in just a stroke behind Joels at 4-over to tie for 28th.

For the tournament, Kent State headed into the last round with a four-shot lead and shot 1-over to finish with a five-stroke victory over Pepperdine at 7-under 858. Individually, Pepperdine's Hira Naveed edged out New Mexico's Darian Zachek and San Diego State's Gioia Carpinelli by one stroke with a final round of 68 to take medalist honors at 7-under 209. 

REBEL OF THE DAY: Joels was impressive in her Rebel debut, with Tuesday's 71 matching the best Rebel score over the two days, while her five birdies in the final round were the best for a single round by any Rebel at the tournament.

NEXT UP FOR THE REBELS: UNLV will have a weekend off before heading to Idaho for the Coeur D'Alene Collegiate Invitational, which is set for September 21-23.

REBEL SCORES:

• UNLV – (294-293-292 -- 858,  15)
• T15th – Polly Mack, sophomore (72-72-73 -- 217, 1)
• T23rd – Veronica Joels, freshman (73-75-71 -- 219, 3)
• T28th – Elizabeth Prior, senior (75-72-73 -- 220, 4)
• T41st – Cathy Liu, sophomore (71-77-75 -- 223 7)*
• T41st – Nastasia Kossacky, junior (74-74-75 -- 223, 7)


• T81st – Alyssa Getty, senior (78-80-76 -- 234 18)

*Playing individually

TOP FIVE TEAMS 
1. Kent State (289-280-289 -- 858, -6)
2. Pepperdine (295-287-281 -- 863, -1)
3. San Diego State (288-287-291 -- 866, 2)
4. Northwestern  (289-284-294 -- 867, 3)
 
5. New Mexico (289-284-295 -- 868, 4)

REBEL NOTES: 

• The Rebels have opened the season at UNM's tournament for four straight years, with Tuesday's finish being the second highest after UNLV finished third in 2015. 
• UNLV has four of five members back from its 2018 Mountain West Championship squad
• Last spring, the Rebels won three consecutive MW titles for the first time since they won three in a row from 2004-06
• UNLV has won four conference championships in eight years under head coach Amy Bush-Herzer