University of Tennessee Athletics
University of Tennessee
NCAA Regional
Vols Conclude Season with 8th Place Regional Finish
May 10, 2017 | Women's Golf
Photo Gallery 
ATHENS, Ga. -- The Tennessee Volunteers concluded the 2016-17 season on Wednesday after finishing eighth at the NCAA Athens Regional.
Advancing Teams
- 1. #3 Alabama: 289-284-284--857 (-7)
- 2. #11 Northwestern: 293-295-283--871 (+7)
- 3. Michigan State: 284-297-291--871 (+8)
- 4. #19 Baylor: 296-282-299--877 (+13)
- 5. #39 Clemson: 304-282-298--884 (+20)
- 6. #35 North Carolina: 302-297-287--886 (+22)
Advancing Individuals (top 3 players not on qualifying teams)
- 1. #8 Jennifer Kupcho (Wake Forest): 68-70-68--206 (-10)
- *4. #90 Laura Fuenfstueck (College of Charleston): 72-69-72--213 (-3)
- T5. Maya Walton (Princeton): 75-70-69--214 (-2)
- *Competing as an individual
Tennessee Scores
- Team (8th Place): 297-291-302--890 (+26)
- T17. Blakesly Warren: 73-70-76--219 (+3)
- T24. Lucia Polo: 76-76-69--221 (+5)
- T50. Micheala Williams: 72-74-81--227 (+11)
- T67. Hannah Pietila: 82-71-78--231 (+15)
- T85. Anna Newell: 76-83-79--238 (+22)
The Vols shot a final round of 302 (+14) on the University of Georgia Golf Course for a 54-hole score of 890, missing the six-team cutoff by four strokes.
"We were playing pretty well and then had about three doubles and two triples on the back nine," said Head Coach Judi Pavon. "It's really disappointing and really unfortunate that we couldn't hit the shots that we needed to hit to get the job done."
No. 3 Alabama claimed the team title (857, -7) after carding a four-under 284 in the round. Northwestern, the 11th-ranked program in the country, posted 871 (+7) to move one stroke ahead of Michigan State who placed third with an overall score of 872 (+8).
Individually, Wake Forest's Jennifer Kupcho, the eighth-ranked player in the nation, earned the medalist title with rounds of 68, 70 and 68 to post a ten-under 206. Alabama's No. 5 Cheyenne Knight and No. 13 Lauren Stephenson tied for second place (211, -5).
Senior Lucia Polo led Tennessee in the final round to finish tied for 24th place (221, +5).
"Lucia fought the whole day," added Pavon. "She shot three-under on the back nine. She really came to play and did a great job. She's the one who gave us a chance."
The Guatemala native capped off her four year career as a Vol with her lowest round of the season, a three-under 69, that also tied her career-low 18-hole score.
Blakesly Warren finished tied for 17th on the leaderboard with a three-over 219. She shot 76 (+4) on Day Three of the tournament after carding 73 and 70 during the first two rounds.
Hannah Pietila, a senior from Brighton, Michigan, finished her collegiate career in a tie for 67th place (231, +15) after shooting 78 on Wednesday. She posted 71 in the second round of the tournament which marked her eighth round of par or better this season.
Junior Anna Newell tallied 79 in the final round to finish tied for 85th place (238, +22) while freshman Micheala Williams shot 81 for a 54-hole score of 227 (T50, +11).
The top six teams advanced to the NCAA Championship along with the top three individuals not on an advancing team. In addition to Alabama, Northwestern and Michigan State; Baylor, Clemson and North Carolina also advanced.
Keep in Touch
- Vol Nation can keep up with the team this offseason by visiting UTSports.com/w-golf, following @Vol_WGolf on Twitter and liking the Vols at Facebook.com/VolWomensGolf.
