Women's Golf | 9/25/2024 7:26:00 PM

PALM HARBOR, Fla.- The Ave Maria University women's golf team again played with some of the best teams in the nation this week, teeing off at The Invite at Innisbrook in Palm Harbor. With some of the NAIA's national championship contenders in attendance, the Gyrenes placed 13th overall of the 19 teams, finishing ahead of a pair of Sun Conference opponents in St. Thomas and New College of Florida.

Marissa Spreitzer led the way for the Gyrenes in the opening round of the tournament, shooting an 80 on the par-71 course. Gracie Milam was two shots back with a score of 82, while Grace Wiggins turned in a scorecard with an 84. Maya Berglund, playing in her second tournament of the fall, rounded out the Ave Maria team score with a round of 85, giving the Gyrenes a team score of 331 heading into the second round.

The second round was Ave Maria's best of the tournament, with AMU posting a team score of 317 and three golfers posting a score of under 80. Both Spreitzer and Milam led the way for the Gyrenes, shooting seven-over par scores of 78. Morgan Hicks bounced back from a first round 88 to post a 79 in the second round, while the fourth of Ave Maria's counting scores was turned in by Berglund, who shot an 82.

On the final day of the tournament, the Gyrenes carded a team score of 325 to remain in 13th place, where they had finished the day before. Spreitzer was again tied for the Gyrene lead, shooting an 81. Hicks was even with her teammate, shooting an 81 of her own, while Wiggins re-entered the team score with another 81. Milam added to the team score for the third round in a row with a score of 82.

Spreitzer was Ave Maria's best player in her second tournament of the season, finishing with a three-hole score of 239 after posting AMU's best score in each of the three rounds. Milam was three shots behind, shooting a 242 that was powered by her second round 78. Hicks was the third AMU finisher at 248, with Berglund (253) and Wiggins (257) rounding out Ave Maria's quintet at Innisbrook.

SCAD-Savannah, who enters the season as the fourth-ranked team in the nation, won the team title by 16 strokes over No. 9 Dalton State. SCAD's team title was powered mostly by their performance in the opening round, where the Bees were even par as a team. The individual title was shared by three golfers - Sara Burger and Jia Kataria of Dalton State and Marlie Smit of Southeastern - who all ended the tournament with three-over scores of 216.

After three tournaments away from home, the Gyrenes will play on their home course for the fourth tournament of the fall season. Ave Maria will host the Gyrene Invitational for the second straight year at The National Golf Club in Ave Maria, with rounds scheduled for October 14 and October 15. The fall season will then conclude on October 28 and 29, when the Gyrene golfers tee off at the SEU Fire Invitational in Lakeland.