Women's Golf | 2/23/2025 5:47:00 PM

Utah Tech finished in the middle of pack in ninth place at the 2025 Western Michigan Rio Verde Invitational, which wrapped up play on Sunday at the Rio Verde Country Club in Rio Verde, Ariz. 

The Trailblazers opened the event on Friday with an 11-over 299 to stand tied for seventh, then managed to move up on spot into a tied for sixth after a 12-over 300 on Saturday. Utah Tech came back with a 13-over 301 on its final loop on Sunday, but that dropped the Blazers three spots to ninth in the 21-team field with a three-day total of plus-36 900.
 
Fellow WAC member California Baptist (283-296-285-864; E) rallied past runner-up Illinois State (289-294-294-865; +1) to claim the team title, while Xavier (292-284-293-869; +5) placed third. 
 
Two Trailblazers finished in the top-30 overall on the player leaderboard, led by sophomore Samantha Phelan, who opened with a 1-over 73 and a team-tourney best even par 72 to stand tied for eighth after 36 holes. The sophomore then came out and carded a final round 6-over 78 to finish in a seven-way tie for 21^st at plus-7 223.
 
Freshman Maria Purroy Gallan wound up one shot back of Phelan in a pack of six golfers tied for 28^th at plus-8 224. Gallan rebounded from an opening 4-over 76 with rounds of 73 and plus-3 75 over her final two rounds.  
 
Meanwhile, junior Jane Olson (76-75-78) finished in a seven-way tie for 52^nd at plus-13 229, followed by sophomore Mia Cesarek (74-84-74) tied with two others for 69^th at plus-16 232, and junior Jenna Anderson (82-80-74-236; +20) placed 82^nd-overall. 

Utah Tech will stay close to home for its next event as the Trailblazers will tee it up at the Southern Utah/Pizza Hut Lady Thunderbird Invite, which will be played at Sunbrook Golf Course in St. George on March 7-9.