Women's Golf | 9/17/2024 3:18:00 PM

Utah Tech women's golf continued its solid start to the 2024-25 fall season with a third-place finish at the rain-shortened Weber State Kelsey Chugg Invitational on Tuesday at the Wolf Creek Resort Golf Course in Eden, Utah.

Utah Tech's third-place showing tied for the best overall team finish in the program's NCAA Division I era (third at the 2023 Utah Tech Zupas Trailblazer Inv'l; 2/13-14/23).  
 
The Trailblazers stood in second place after their opening 18 holes on Monday morning after shooting a combined 19-over par 307, which was four shots off the pace set by fellow WAC member California Baptist (+15, 303).
 
Utah Tech was nine shots better in its afternoon loop with a 10-over 298 to close day one at plus-29 605 overall. 
 
However CBU (303-292-595; +19) went even lower with a 4-over 292 to stay atop the leaderboard, while host Weber State (308-290-598; +22) shot the low round of the event with a 2-over 290 to leap over the Blazers into second place after 36 holes.

Heavy rain from overnight thunderstorms pounded the Ogden Valley, which led to the golf course being deemed unplayable on Tuesday morning and led to the cancellation of the Invitational's final round. 

Freshman Maria Purroy Galan continued the torrid pace to her collegiate career as she posted her second top-five showing in as many events. Purroy Galan, who tied for fifth at the Utah Valley Wolverine event last week, finished in a three-way tie for second overall at plus-1 145.

Purroy Galan rolled in three birdies as part of an opening 2-over 74, then came back with two more birdies and 15 pars to card a 1-under 71 in round two.

Sophomore Samantha Phelan also came away with her second top-five finish of the young season, tying three others for fifth place at plus-6 150. Phelan, who tied with Purroy Galan for fifth at UVU, co-led the team with six total birdies over her two rounds en route to a combined plus-10 154.

After opening with a 5-over 77, Phelan bounced back with a 1-over 73 on her second loop to vault from a tie for 16^th into the top-five overall.

Junior Jenna Anderson (76-78-154) also rolled in six total birdies over her two loops, three in each round, to finish in a four-way tie for 17^th at plus-10 154. 

Meanwhile sophomore Mia Cesarek (80-77) and junior Jane Olson (80-77) both carded matching plus-13 157 scores to tie with four others for 29^th-overall.
 
The Trailblazers will now enjoy a two week break before heading to "The Windy City" to play at the Loyola Chicago Parkinson Family Invitational. The two-day, 54-hole event will be played on Oct. 7-8, at The Merit Club in Libertyville, Ill.