CARMEL, Ind. – The Gannon women's golf team turned in an outstanding final round on Wednesday as the Golden Knights turned in their highest finish ever at the NCAA Division II East Regional.
 
Coach Scott Stano's team tied for seventh place in the 15-team regional, missing the last of five qualifying spots for the NCAA finals by just two places and seven strokes. The seventh-place finish represented Gannon's best finish ever at the regional. The Golden Knights recently won their fifth consecutive PSAC title to secure a spot in the regional.
 
Junior Ditte Petersen (Dianalund, Denmark/Sorø Akademi Skole) shot a 2-over-par 74 on Wednesday, and the Knights turned in an impressive score of 21-over-par 309 on the tough Prairie View Golf Club course. Gannon tied Ferris State with a three-day score of 949 as the Knights' scores improved on each of the final two days. After opening in 11th place with a 327 score on Monday, GU shot 313 on Tuesday and 309 on Wednesday. Gannon's 309 was the fourth-best score of the day among the 15 teams.
 
Findlay won the team title after tying UIndy for the top spot with a 905 total, while Grand Valley State (920), Ashland (932), and Davenport (942) also advanced to the NCAA Championships by placing among the top five. They will play in the NCAA Division II Championships on May 21-25 at Orange County National Golf Center in Orlando, Fla. Missouri St. Louis (947) finished sixth on Wednesday.
 
All five Gannon players in the lineup turned in strong rounds on Wednesday. Freshman Cloe Mateo (Sabadell, Spain/Montcau la Mola) turned in a 5-over 77 and sophomore Zoey McClain (Erie, Pa./McDowell) carded a 6-over 78. Senior Sarah White (Erie, Pa./Mercyhurst Prep) added an 80 and junior Andrea Martinez (Tarragona, Spain/Col·legi Vedruna Sagrat Cor) shot an 81.
 
Petersen, who recently repeated as PSAC champion, led Gannon as she tied for 11th place in the East Regional's individual race with a score of 15-over-par 231 (80-77-74). In Wednesday's round, she moved up 12 spots as she carded four birdies and shot 1-over 37 on both nines. She birdied Nos. 2, 7, and 8 on the front nine and No. 11 on the back.
 
Mateo and Martinez each shot 241 to finish in a group of four players who tied for 44th place. Mateo shot rounds of 79-85-77, while Martinez carded rounds of 85-75-81.
 
Mateo birdied No. 1 and No. 3 while shooting a 1-over 37 on the front nine. She added a birdie on No. 17. Martinez birdied No. 4 and No. 15 on Wednesday.
 
White was very consistent over the three rounds as she tied for 48th at 243 with rounds of 83-80-80. As she did on Tuesday, White carded a 40 on the front nine and a 40 on the back on Wednesday.
 
Like Petersen, McClain kept getting better over the final two rounds while tying for 56th at 248. After shooting an 89 on Monday, McClain carded an 81 on Tuesday and a 78 on Wednesday. She recorded four birdies on Wednesday, going 1-under par on hole Nos. 2, 4, 10, and 12.
 
Grand Valley State's Olivia Stoll won the East Regional's individual race with a score of 7-over 223. She edged Findlay's Mary Kelly Mulcahy by one shot.
 
Final Team Scores:
1.  Findlay       299-301-305—905  +41
2.  UIndy       300-303-302—905  +41
3.  Grand Valley State      317-303-300—920  +56
4.  Ashland       308-310-314—932  +68
5.  Davenport       315-315-312—942  +78
6.  Missouri-St. Louis   317-315-315—947 +83
T7. Gannon      327-313-309—949 + 85
T7.  Ferris State      318-316-315—949   +85
9.  Glenville State       320-322-311—953  +89
10.  Franklin Pierce       320-327-318—965  +101
11.  McKendree 318-325-327—970  +106
12.  Ohio Dominican      332-330-318—980  +116
13.  Wayne State (Mich.)   347-308-334—989  +125
14.  Illinois-Springfield     338-336-323—997  +133
15.  New Haven     338-338-351—1,076  +163


Individual Leaders:
(Field of 81 players)
1. Olivia Stoll, Grand Valley State 79-69-75–223  +7
2. Mary Kelly Mulcahy, Findlay  75-72-77—224  +8
T3. Gabby Woods, Findlay 74-79-72—225  +9
T3. Elaine Grant, Illinois-Springfield 75-77-73—225 +9
T3. Anci Dy, UIndy 76-75-74—225 +9
T3. Erin Mulcahy, Findlay 74-71-80—225 +9
 

Gannon Scores:
T11. Ditte Petersen (Dianalund, Denmark/Sorø Akademi Skole)  80-77-74—231 +15
T44. Cloe Mateo (Sabadell, Spain/Montcau la Mola) 79-85-77—241 +25
T44. Andrea Martinez (Tarragona, Spain/Col·legi Vedruna Sagrat Cor)  85-75-81—241 +25
T48. Sarah White (Erie, Pa./Mercyhurst Prep) 83-80-80—243 +27
T56. Zoey McClain (Erie, Pa./McDowell) 89-81-78—248 +32