CLE ELUM, WASHINGTON (UNLVRebels.com) - UNLV women's golf sophomore
Polly Mack and senior
Elizabeth Prior wrapped up play at the 2019 NCAA regional at Tumble Creek Golf in Cle Elum, Washington, Wednesday, each turning in rounds of par or better to end the 2018-19 campaign.
After a round-two score of 2-under 70, Mack shot even in the final round to stay steady and finish in a tie for 22nd at 3-over 219. Senior
Elizabeth Prior saved her best round of the regional for last as she carded a 3-under 69 to finish in a tie for 40th at 6-over 222.
Wednesday's round marked the last of her Rebel career for Prior. The three-time Mountain West All-Conference selection finishes with a 73.73 career scoring average and 273 career birdies, which both rank fourth all-time in program history. The Surrey, England native also owns the lowest single-round score of any Rebel women's golfer at 8-under 64, while she is tied for lowest 54-hole score of 16-under 200 with former Rebel All-American Therese Koelbaek (2008-11). Prior will graduate this spring and plans on pursuing her dream of playing professionally on the LPGA Tour.
The top six teams to advance to the 2019 NCAA Championships, which are set for May 17-22 in Fayetteville, Arkansas, are No. 1 USC, No. 19 Washington, No. 16 Northwestern, No. 8 Arkansas, San Jose State and UCF. The top-ranked Trojans were the wire-to-wire winners of the regional, blowing out the field with a 15-shot victory at 20-under 844. Regional host Washington was the only other team to finish under par, taking second at 5-under 859, followed by Northwestern in third at even par 864. NCAA Championship host Arkansas came in fourth at 5-over 869, while Mountain West member San Jose State and UCF shot a 8-over 872 and a 10-over 874, respectively, to take the coveted fifth and sixth spots.
USC's Jennifer Chang edged out UCF's Anna Laura Collado and Washington's Rino Sasaki for medalist honors, winning by one shot at 11-under 205.
The top three individuals not on the advancing teams have also qualified for the NCAA Championships. Oregon's Kathlee Scavo carded a three-round score of 7-under 209, Ohio State's Aneka Seumanutafa tallied a 5-under 211 and Oregon State's Ellie Slama shot a 3-under 213 to nab the three individual spots moving on to the championships.
REBEL SCORES:
TOP SIX TEAMS
1. USC (281-285-278 -- 844, -20)
2. Washington (285-293-281 -- 859, -5)
3. Northwestern (284-302-278 -- 864, E)
4. Arkansas (287-296-286 -- 869, +5)
5. San Jose State (289-293-290 -- 872 , +8)
6. UCF (290-298-286 -- 874, +10)
REBEL NOTES:
• The Rebels finished third at the Mountain West Championships, ending a streak of three consecutive league titles and 16 consecutive NCAA tournament appearances
• UNLV finished in the top-10 in five of six and in the top six in four of six regular season tournaments this spring, including a first-place finish at the Battle at Boulder Creek and a second place finish at Rebel Beach
• Polly Mack earned her first outright victory at the Mountain View Invitational this spring with a career-low 54-hole score of 10-under. She was named Mountain West Women's Golfer of the Week for the second time this spring after her victory
• The Rebels finished second at their second annual Rebel Beach Invitational at Spanish Trail Country Club in February, which is co-hosted by Long Beach State. Prior blew out the field with a seven-shot victory for her second straight tournament win
• The Rebels opened the spring with a team win at the Battle of Boulder Creek, with Prior and Mack tying for medalist honors
• Prior and Mack were named Co-Mountain West Women's Golfers of the Week after their win at Boulder Creek, then Prior earned it a second consecutive week after her win at Rebel Beach
• The Rebels have won three straight MW titles two different time in their history - 2004-06 and 2016-18
• UNLV has won four conference championships in eight years under head coach Amy Bush-Herzer
