HUMBLE, Texas — Led by three under-par scorecards on Tuesday and a 12th-place finish by Daniela Abonce, UTSA moved up three places into ninth on the final day of the Chevron Collegiate at the Golf Club of Houston (par 72/6,203 yards).
Entering the day in 12th place in the 16-team field that included seven nationally ranked squads, the Roadrunners registered their second straight 2-under 286 behind red numbers from Abonce (70), Morgan Ellison (71) and Olivia Williams (71) to surge past No. 33 Iowa State (+1), Maryland (E) and Tulsa (-2). After opening with a 287 on Monday morning, the back-to-back 2-under par rounds helped UTSA to a 5-under 859, a season-best 54-hole total that is now tied for seventh on the program’s all-time list and fifth in school history versus par.
The Roadrunners ended up only three shots behind North Texas (-8), eight back of host and No. 21 Houston (-13) and a dozen shy of sixth-place Illinois (-17). UTSA also finished 24 strokes ahead of Texas Tech (+19) and ended up in front of Texas State (+20), Indiana (+21) and Iowa (+29).
No. 16 TCU claimed the team title at 34-under par, followed by 17th-ranked Texas A&M (-25), No, 1 Arkansas (-24), No. 42 SMU (-19) and 12th-ranked Mississippi State (-19).
Individually, Abonce notched her fourth top-20 showing of the season by tying for 12th at 6-under 210. After starting her week with an even-par 72, the junior from Veracruz, Mexico, carded a 4-under 68 on Monday afternoon to jump into a tie for 15th. The reigning American Athletic Conference champion fired a 2-under 70 in today’s final round to end up in a four-way tie for 12th, placing ahead of nine nationally ranked players including four in the top 30.
Abonce’s final round was highlighted by 14 pars and a trio of birdies with a three on her opening hole — the 299-yard 19th — and back-to-back circled numbers on Nos. 8-9 to close out her 30th career par-or-better scorecard. She finished just one shot out of a tie for 10th and only two strokes behind top-ranked Maria Jose Marin of Arkansas. Texas A&M’s Vanessa Borovilos, who is ranked 68th nationally, captured the individual crown with a 15-under 201 (67-67-67).
Ellison and Williams finished in a tie for 38th at even-par 216.
Ellison carded her second red number of the event with a 1-under 71 on Tuesday that featured five birdies, including three as part of a 2-under 34 on the back nine. The senior from Georgia opened the week with a season-best 2-under 70 before settling for a 75 on Monday afternoon. She now has posted par-or-better scores in six of her last nine rounds.
Williams fired her second straight 1-under 71 on the strength of 15 pars and birdies on both par fives on the front nine, the 470-yard fourth and 522-yard eighth. The junior from England started the tournament with a 74 before logging a 71 in round two, and she now owns four par-or-better scorecards this season.
Lauren Rios grabbed a share of 50th with a 3-over 219, her best 54-hole total versus par as a Roadrunner. The Coppell, Texas, native recorded a season-best 71 in round one before finishing with a 72 and a 76. Her previous best was a 6-over 216 (72-76-68) at the 2022 Schooner Fall Classic.
Maria Bastarrica closed out the UTSA lineup in 79th (74-79-74).
The Roadrunners will be back in action on March 10-12 when they travel to Arizona for the Clover Cup.
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