SORRENTO, Fla. - Entering the final round in third place on the team leaderboard, WKU fired a nine-over 297 to capture the team championship at the Morehead State Citrus Spring Challenge on Tuesday afternoon with a three-round total of 899 (294-308-297).
The Lady Toppers finished as co-champions alongside Elon and James Madison, the team's third championship since head coach Adam Gary took over the program prior to the 2014-15 season. The 35-over 899 is the team's best result in a three-round tournament this season and its lowest 54-hole score since tallying an 890 at the C-USA Championships last April.
"I'm very proud of the effort of this team to come away with the championship today," Gary said. "This is the kind of result that we have been working toward, and I am very pleased with the resolve that this team showed to fight back for the win after being down five strokes after Monday."
WKU finished the three-round tournament with just one round in the 80s, and Emily Alexander fired the team's best individual round of the season on Sunday with her two-under 70.
Alexander and senior Ellinor Haag paced the WKU card with matching totals of five-over 221 for the tournament. On the final day of action, Alexander tallied a three-over 75, while Haag jumped up eight spots on the leaderboard with her one-under 71. Haag's 71 was tied for the lowest round of the day in the 118-player field.
Sophomore transfer Katie Story improved nine spots during the third round with her six-over 78 to claim a spot in the top 25. Story finished in a four-way tie for 24th overall alongside McNeese State's Sofie Winther, Stetson's Kristine Odaiyar and Morehead State's Gabriela Villalba Arias.
Michaela Bordeianu and Georgina Blackman rounded out the championship card, tying for 52nd and 62nd, respectively. Both golfers logged their lowest rounds of the tournament on Tuesday, as Bordeianu shot a four-over 76, while Blackman fired a three-over 75 to help push the Lady Toppers to the team title.
The Lady Toppers will return to action on Sunday at the John Kirk Panther Intercollegiate hosted by Georgia State at the Eagle's Landing Country Club in Stockbridge, Ga.
WKU Final Results
T8. Emily Alexander (+5, 221, 70-76-75)
T8. Ellinor Haag (+5, 221, 74-76-71)
T24. Katie Story (+14, 230, 75-77-78)
T52. Michaela Bordeianu (+16, 232, 77-79-76)
T62. Georgina Blackman (+17, 233, 75-83-75)
