BOULDER CITY (UNLVRebels.com) - UNLV women's golf capped off its first tournament of the spring with a wire-to-wire victory at the Battle of Boulder Creek. The Rebels carded a three-round team score of +12 (876) to win the event by 39 strokes. Senior Elizabeth Prior, who led after the first two rounds, and sophomore Polly Mack both shot even for the tournament to share the individual medalist honors.
This is the first tournament win for the Rebels during the 2018-19 season and marks the second time in the last three years they've won the event. Prior picked up the third tournament win of her career and second in the event as her first collegiate victory came at the Battle at Boulder Creek when she was a freshman in 2016. Mack, the reigning Mountain West Player of the Year, turned in a stellar final round of 4-under 68 to earn a share of the individual title for the first win of her collegiate career.
All six Rebels competing in the event finished in the top seven, led by Prior and Mack at even. Freshman
Veronica Joels came in third at 5-over, followed by sophomore
Cathy Liu (playing as an individual) in fourth at 7-over. Seniors
Shannon Oh and
Alyssa Getty finished ia tied for fifth and seventh with a 9-over and 11-over, respectively.
REBEL OF THE DAY: Mack carded her best single-round score of her sophomore campaign with her 68 in the final round. It is just one stroke off her career single-round low of 67.
QUOTABLES:
"I'm proud of this team and the way they came out and played in the first tournament of the spring," said
Amy Bush-Herzer. "It's always a great accomplishment to win the team and individual titles and we're looking forward to getting back out there at Rebel Beach next week."
NEXT UP FOR THE REBELS: The Rebels will be back in action next Monday and Tuesday, February 18 &19 as the co-host the Rebel Beach Invitational with Long Beach State at Spanish Trail Golf Club.
REBEL SCORES:
- 1st - UNLV – (292-291-293 -- 876, +12)
- T1st – Elizabeth Prior, senior (68-74-74 -- 216, E)
- T1st – Polly Mack, sophomore (75-73-68 -- 216, E)
- 3rd – Veronica Joels, freshman (75-69-77 -- 221, +5)
- 4th – Cathy Liu, sophomore (74-76-73 -- 223, +7)*
- T5th – Shannon Oh, senior (75-75-75 -- 225, +9)
- 7th – Alyssa Getty, senior (74-77-76 --227, +11)
*Playing as an individual
TOP FIVE TEAMS
1. UNLV (292-291-293 -- 876, +12)
2. Southern Illinois (307-299-309 --915, +51)
3. Drake (317-316-308 -- 941, +77)
4. Weber State (319-315-312 -- 946, +82)
5. Illinois-Chicago (330-316-323 -- 976, +112)
REBEL NOTES:
• This is the first tournament win of the 2018-19 season and the second time in the last three years the Rebels have won both the team title and individual title
• This is the second tournament the Rebels have played at Boulder Creek Golf Club, as they host their fall tournament - the Las Vegas Collegiate Showdown - there as well
• 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 seven years under head coach Amy Bush-Herzer
