GULFPORT, Miss. – Little Rock closed out a strong showing at the Great River Cup on Tuesday, defeating rival Arkansas State to secure a tie for second place at Windance Country Club.
The Trojans finished the tournament with a 2-1 record in match play, earning victories over James Madison and Arkansas State after falling to host Louisiana-Monroe in the opening round. Little Rock tied Southern Miss for second place in the eight-team field, while Louisiana-Monroe claimed the tournament title with a perfect 3-0 record.
"I like the way we responded after the first match and won two straight," Little Rock head coach
Jenna Birch said. "We played well in those final two matches and showed a lot of resilience."
Little Rock's 3-2 victory over Arkansas State capped the strong finish. After two matches ended in ties, the Trojans secured the win behind standout performances from
Elvira Flodstrom, Cloe Poizac, and lara Martin. Flodstrom earned a crucial point with a 1UP victory over Sofia Bastidas, while Poizac delivered the most decisive win of the day, defeating Morgan Beaulieu 5&3. Martin added another key point with a 1UP win over Caroline Hughes, clinching the team victory.
"That was a big win to finish tied for second in the tournament," Birch said. "It gives us something to build on now that we have a few weeks off before we play again."
Martin led the way throughout the tournament, finishing a perfect 3-0 in her matches. Her performance continues a strong stretch of play following her recent Ohio Valley Conference Female Golfer of the Week honor.
lLara is playing with a lot of confidence right now," Birch said. "The players she beat in this tournament are quality opponents. This performance will only help her continue to grow and gives our team a lot of momentum moving forward."
With the strong finish, the Trojans continue to show progress early in the spring season and will look to carry that momentum into their next competition.
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