The St. Edward's women's golf team shot its strongest round in the final day of the Peggy Kirk Bell Invitational at the Alaqua Country Club Tuesday, but could not move up the rankings, finishing in seventh place.
St. Edward's (325-320-317=962) improved in each round of play during the two-day tournament. The Hilltoppers finished just four strokes behind sixth-place finisher St. Leo (318-329-311=958).
Nova Southeastern (298-305-297=900) maintained its first-day lead to win the tournament. Daytona State College (307-304-301=912) and Rollins (306-305-303=914) finished second and third, respectively.
Nova Southeastern's Sandra Changkija (70-69-70=209) claimed the individual title while Mitsuki Katahira (75-72-70=217) of Daytona State and Florida Southern's Marianne Anderson (74-73-72=219) finished in a distant second and third, respectively.
Freshman Jacy Benites (80-75-84=239) was the highest-ranking Hilltopper, finishing tied for 22nd. Sophomore Kirby Baker (81-81-79=241) and senior Emily Kvinta (82-78-81=241) both tied for 29th. Freshman Melisa Gonzalez (82-87-78=247) finished in 47th place and freshman Ali Walden (86-86-79=251) improved on her first-day performance to finish tied for 51st.
The Hilltoppers also tied for sixth in birdies with 19 overall, sinking eight birdies alone in round three.
The Hilltoppers will return to Texas to play in the Claud Jacobs Intercollegiate Tournament in Victoria on Monday. The tournament will last two days and will be held at the Victoria Country Club.