SUNSET, S.C. — Behind a final-round, 7-under 281, the Virginia Tech women's golf team finished runner-up at the Clemson Invitational, which concluded Sunday morning at The Reserve at Lake Keowee (par 72, 6,471 yards).
All five Hokies who made the trip recorded rounds in red figures, Sunday – led by Jessica Spicer's season-best, 3-under 69. The graduate student tied for 14th in the field at 3-over 219. She finished the weekend at 1-under on par-4s, which tied for fourth-best at the tournament. Spicer birdied two of her final four holes to ignite the Hokies' fire finish.
Senior Emily Mahar charted a team-best 12 birdies on her way to a 3-under 213, which tied for fifth. It was her first top-5 of the season and the fifth of her career. She birdied four of her final eight holes to propel Tech ahead of Maryland and Clemson down the stretch.
Notching her first top-10 of the season and second of her career, Keerattriya Foocharoen fired a 1-under 215 to tie for ninth. The junior shot a bogey-free, 2-under 70 in the second round. She finished 3-under in par-3 scoring for the weekend, which tied for the best mark in the field, along with teammate Becca DiNunzio.
DiNunzio tied for 14th at 3-over 219. Her 1-under 71 in the final round included three straight birdies on holes 3-5.
Alyssa Montgomery produced a team-best six birdies in the final round, en route to a 1-under 71. In the end, the sophomore tied for 24th at 4-over 220. Montgomery logged 10 birdies over her 54 holes – tied for second-best on the team with Spicer.
Due to inclement weather suspending play Saturday, most teams had four holes to play when the final round resumed Sunday morning. Tech entered the day in third, three shots behind Clemson for second. However, behind birdies from Mahar, Spicer, Foocharoen and Montgomery, the Hokies raced past Clemson and locked up the runner-up showing.
In all, Tech registered six birdies over its final four holes to edge No. 22 Maryland by three shots. No. 25 Kent State led wire-to-wire in claiming the team title at 12-under 852, 10 strokes clear of the Hokies. Host and 32nd-ranked Clemson took fourth at 3-over 867, while No. 46 Illinois rounded out the top five.
Kent State's Caley McGinty, ranked 38th in the country by Golfstat, prevailed in the individual race by posting a 10-under 206. Virunpat Olankitkunchai of Maryland finished second at 6-under 210.
Tech returns to action Tuesday, April 6 through Wednesday, April 7 at the Cavalier Match Play hosted by Virginia at Birdwood Golf Course in Charlottesville, Va.
