RIO VERDE, Ariz. – Little Rock closed out a solid showing at the 2020 Rio Verde Collegiate Invitational, placing eighth among the 18-team field at Rio Verde Country Club. The Trojans finished with a 53-over 917, logging the program's fourth top-10 team showing of the season.
2020 Rio Verde Collegiate Invitational Final Results (PDF)
Malena Austerslaatt posted a new career-best finish, tying for ninth among the individual field with a 7-over 223. After an opening round 74, Austerslaatt matched that total in round two before closing out the weekend with a 75. She was the top player among the field on par-five holes, shooting 3-under with a 4.80 average, while ranking second with 10 birdies.
After rain washed out a day of competition Saturday, the teams played the final 36 holes Sunday. Entering the day tied for 10th, the Trojans moved up one spot after the morning round with a 17-over 305. Little Rock was then able to jump another spot to eighth over the final 18 holes, shooting a 12-over 300 over the final round – one off the low round of the season.
Tilde Bocker was the second finisher on the Trojan scorecard with a 13-over 229, tying for 31st overall and finishing one shot better than
Kellie Gachaga's 14-over 230, tying for 34th.
Sydney Scraba shot a 19-over 235, including a 74 in round three, which was tied for the low round of the day for the Trojans, with Thea Wakeford-Wessmann rounding out the scorecard with a 24-over 240.
The final day of competition helped Little Rock move past a number of teams, finishing three shots better than ninth-place Bradley (56-over 920) and four shots ahead of 10th-place Boise State (57-over 921). The Trojans were four shots off the pace of Wichita State (49-over 913), finishing nine shots out of fifth.
Arkansas State captured the team title with a 16-over 880, besting Northern Illinois (28-over 892) by 12 shots. Xavier (39-over 903) finished third with Seton Hall (42-over 906) and Akron (44-over 908) rounding out the top-five.
Little Rock returns to action March 16-17, returning to Dade City, Florida, for the Spring Break Shootout. Hosted by Western Kentucky, the two-day event will be held at Lake Jovita Country Club.
2020 Rio Verde Collegiate Invitational Little Rock Results
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