Bremerton, Wash. – Freshman Ashley Noda had her first top-10 finish of the season after carding a final round 4-over-par 76 to finish in a 10th place tie leading the Broncos to a fourth place team finish at the WCC Championship Wednesday at the Gold Mountain Golf Club in Bremerton, Wash.
With rounds of 77, 80 and 76 Noda totaled 233 (+17) for her lowest 54-hole score of the season and best finish of her career. "Ashley had a great finish to make the top 10," said third-year head coach Krystal Kelly.
Monique Riley, another freshman, had the fourth-best round of the day and her finest as a collegian with a 2-over 74 to finish in 13th place with a total of 236 (+20). Riley clipped six strokes off her second round score and also had the best finish of her career, besting a 14th place standing at the Firestone Grill Invitational last October.
The Broncos scored a final round 307 to end the tournament with a 940 (+76). Santa Clara entered play Wednesday 12 shots behind third place BYU and closed within seven shots midway through the round but couldn't catch the Cougars, who also ended the day with a 307. "We played much better today," Kelly said. "I was very happy with what I saw. We played much smarter."
Pepperdine's Grace Na claimed her second individual title in three years with a final score of 213 (-3) finishing two shots ahead of Gonzaga's Raychelle Santos. The Waves also claimed their 12th straight team title with a three-day total of 883 (+19), 17 shots better than runner-up Gonzaga.
Senior Balbina Guajardo and junior Taylor Camany tied for 14th place with final scores of 237. Guajardo made up a stroke on her teammate Wednesday by shooting a 78 while Camany scored a 79. They tied with two other players at 21-over-par.
All five Santa Clara players placed in the top 20 with freshman Meghan Shain matching her second round score of 79 on Wednesday to finish tied for 19th place with a total of 239 (+23).
"It was all about focusing on the process and not so much the outcome," noted Kelly. "Collectively the players fed off each other. Cheering nice shots and just being teammates."
WCC Championship Final Team Standings
1. Pepperdine 293-289-301 = 883 (+19)
2. Gonzaga 298-301-301 = 900 (+36)
3. BYU 308-313-307 = 928 (+64)
4. Santa Clara 316-317-307 = 940 (+76)
5. San Francisco 329-314-322 = 965 (+101)
6. Cal State Bakersfield 342-341-335 = 1018 (+154)
Santa Clara Final Individual Results
T10. Ashley Noda 77-80-76 = 233 (+17)
13. Monique Riley 82-80-74 = 236 (+20)
T14. Balbina Guajardo 78-81-78 = 237 (+21)
T14. Taylor Camany 80-78-79 = 237 (+21)
T19. Meghan Shain 81-79-79 = 239 (+23)