AUBURN, Wash. — Freshman Fabiola Arriaga and junior Summer Batiste each fired rounds of 77 on Saturday and UTSA wrapped up play at the NCAA West Regional with a 313 to finish 16th (311-313-313=937) at the Washington National Golf Club.
Rain continued to plague the event and forced a 45-minute delay in the afternoon, with most of the Roadrunners at least three holes into their round.
Arriaga and Batiste combined for five birdies to tie for the Roadrunners' lowest rounds of the tournament. Arriaga improved her score for the second consecutive day and shot two-under on the front nine before finishing 77th with a 237 (82-78-77). Meanwhile, Batiste carded her second 77 of the tournament with birdies on Nos. 14 and 17 to finish tied for 89th with a 239 (77-85-77).
Sophomore Paola Valerio carded a 78 for the third day in a row and finished as the team's highest finisher at 63rd (78-78-78=234). The Mexico City native carded a squad-leading seven birdies during the three-day event.
Freshman Taylor Newlin fired an 81 to finish tied for 84th with a 238 (79-78-81), while junior Shannon Jungman tied for 102nd with a 242 (77-79-86).
No. 1 USC took the regional crown with an 866 (288-284-294) and Tennessee’s Erica Popson claimed individual medalist honors with a 208 (68-69-71).
After entering the tournament as the No. 19 seed, UTSA finished ahead of two nationally-ranked teams (No. 42 Tulsa/No. 48 San Diego State).
The tournament caps the most successful season in program history. Led by Southland Conference Coach of the Year Carrie Parnaby, the Roadrunners won their first league title and placed a record four players on the all-conference squads. Valerio, the Southland Player of the Year, and Arriaga, who earned Freshman of the Year honors, helped UTSA notch a record six top-five finishes this year.
