Women's golf captures second straight Blue Raider Invitational title

Blue Raider Invitational Final Results

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - The Middle Tennessee women's golf team captured the Blue Raider Invitational team title on Wednesday for the second year in a row after finishing with a 54-hole total of 889 at the par-72, 6,177-yard Old Fort Golf Club.

"Anytime you can close out with a win, it gives you a little confidence going into the offseason," head coach Chris Adams said. "We haven't had a great fall, and the girls will be the first to tell you that. So at least it gives us something positive to build on. I know that their goal was to win this tournament and coming in, I knew there were some teams that would be tough to beat. In a tournament, it's just important to get a win under your belt, and going into the offseason it's even more important."

MT was the only team in the field to record sub-300 scores in each round, carding a 298 over the final 18. The Blue Raiders finished 25 over, 16 strokes ahead of second-place Morehead State with a total of 905 (+41). UALR rounded out the top three with a 906 (+42).

Avery George led the way for the Blue Raiders with a 221 (+), four strokes behind medalist Cassie Rushing (Southern Illinois) with a 217 (+). George, one of three Blue Raiders in the top five, tied for second with Lamar's Julie Aime.

"(Avery) just doesn't make mistakes, and if you look at her score, she's consistent," Adams said. "I tell her all the time, 'You're just boring.' But pars are good, and she makes a lot of pars. I only see her getting better."

Ashley Haggard and Olivia Love also recorded top-5 finishes, tying for fourth with a score of 222 (+6). Haggard shot a 77 in the final round, while Love delivered a 72, her lowest score of the tournament.

Emily Miller tied for 26th (229, +13) and Natalie Chrisopulos tied for 56th (235, +19) to round out MT's five in team play. Stephanie Smith and Madison Denton, playing as individuals, tied for 15th with a total of 226 (+10).

The tournament concluded fall action for the Blue Raiders. MT will return to the links in February.

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