ST. GEORGE — Utah Tech wrapped up the 2023-24 golf season with a seventh-place finish at the 2024 Western Athletic Conference Women’s Golf Championships on Sunday at The Rim Golf Club in Payson, Ariz.
The Trailblazers opened with a 24-over par 308 to stand in seventh after Friday’s first round, then bettered that by five strokes with a 19-over 303 on Saturday but could not gain any ground on the field. Utah Tech then closed with a 26-over 310 on its Sunday loop to finish at plus-69 921.
Seattle U, which was in sixth place after Friday’s opening round, vaulted into third place on Saturday, then overtook runner-up Abilene Christian (+42, 894) and third-place Grand Canyon (+43, 895) to claim the WAC team title.
Trailblazer freshman Mia Cesarek played steady over the three days, opening with a five-over par 76 on Friday. Cesarek followed that with a 6-over 77 and a 4-over 75 on Sunday to finish tied for 16th at plus-15 228.
Senior Grace Williams found herself in the top-10 on the player leaderboard over the first two days, beginning with a 3-over 74 which tied her for fifth after her first loop. Williams was tied for ninth after a 75 on Saturday (+7 149) but was done in by a 9-over 80 on Sunday, which dropped her into a tie for 22nd at plus-16 229.
The Thunderbirds finished in a tie for ninth at the WAC Championships at the Golf Club at Chapparal Pines. Shooting rounds of 323, 312 and 315.
Softball splits twinbill on the road
The Trailblazers split a doubleheader on Friday afternoon at Tarleton State winning Gam 1 3-1 before falling 7-0 in Game 2. two. Saturday’s series finale was canceled due to rain.
Utah Tech (16-27 overall, 9-10 WAC) totaled seven hits in the first game and added two hits in the nightcap.
The Trailblazers were led by a pair of hits in the opener from Carly Eldredge while getting one double apiece from Baylee Howley and Gabi Giroux. The second game saw base knocks from Marisa Rubio and Danyelle Leone.
In the circle, Attlyn Johnston earned her sixth win of the season in the opener tossing a complete game limiting Tarleton (19-29, 5-14 WAC) to four hits, one earned run and struck out six.
The second game saw Tyler Denhart take the loss as she and Leone each allowed seven hits apiece, with the pair each striking out two apiece.
Track and field records fall
The program records were set at the Southern Utah Coliseum Championships at Eccles Coliseum in Cedar City on Saturday.
Rashawnna Gibson led the charge setting both the 100- and 200-meter-dash records — winning the 100 11.77 seconds and placing fourth in the 200 in 24.53. Whitney Christiansen set a program record in the 400 meters topping her previous by 0.42 seconds with a time of 56.61.
Other winning marks on Saturday came from Ashlyn Parish winning the 100-meter hurdles (13.56), and the 4×400-meter relay team of Megan Jenkins, Sadie Edwards, Addy Wyatt and Christiansen raced to a winning time of 3:51.15.
Lexi Larsen was the runner-up in the 800 meters (2:13.24) and Jenkins and Erin McKinnon each took third in the 400 meter hurdles and 1500 meters, respectively.
Tennis season ends with loss
The Trailblazers saw their season come to a close Thursday falling 4-0 to top-seed Grand Canyon at the WAC Tournament hosted at the HEB Tennis Center at Pendleton Park, Texas.
Utah Tech (6-16) dropped the doubles point falling 6-1 at both No. 1 and 3 doubles.
The duo of Ya-Chi Hsu and Ana Gutierrez Sampere were winning 4-2 at No. 2 doubles before their match went unfinished as the Lopes went to singles leading 1-0.
In singles, Grand Canyon (20-2), who is ranked No. 62 nationally by ITA, earned wins at the No. 1, 4 and 5 spots and Nos. 2,3 and 6 went unfinished.
Doubles competition 1. Natasha Puehse/Santa Strombacha (GCU)) def Mariana Zurita/Rachel Mellor (UT) 6-12. Ya-Chi Hsu/Ana Gutierrez Sampere (UT) / Valentina Del Marco/Valeriia Krokhotina (GCU) 4-2, unfinished in first set3. Elizaveta Morozova/Iva Sepa (GCU) def. Olivia Bustos/Adithi Venkatakrishnan (UT) 6-1
Singles competition 1. Natasha Puehse (GCU) def. Adithi Venkatakrishnan (UT) 6-0, 6-12. Santa Strombacha (GCU) / Ana Gutierrez Sampere (UT) 6-1, 4-0, unfinished3. Iva Sepa (GCU) / Mariana Zurita (UTU) 6-3, 2-0, unfinished4. Elizaveta Morozova (GCU) def. Rachel Mellor (UT) 6-1, 6-05. Valeriia Krokhotina (GCU) def. Ya-Chi Hsu (UT) 6-0, 6-06. Dania Deaifi (GCU) / Olivia Bustos (UT) 6-4, 1-0, unfinished