Underdogs going in, underdogs coming out — Virginia’s trip to the Moon Golf Invitational offered little in the way of redemption. With 11 teams ranked in the top 25, and the Cavaliers entering at No. 38 nationally, the odds were never in their favor. A second- to last-place finish, falling behind two teams they were ranked ahead of, made for a disappointing showing nonetheless.
The Suntree Country Club in Melbourne, Fla. featured a par-72 course, and Coach Ria Scott opted for a young lineup — two freshmen, one sophomore and two juniors — along with another freshman competing as an individual, a departure from the roster used in the previous tournament. Notably absent was junior Jaclyn Laha, who was coming off a runner-up finish at the Collegiate Invitational.
The new lineup struggled, resulting in a 16th-place finish out of 17 teams with no players cracking the top 40 on the leaderboard. Auburn University and Texas A&M dominated the field, with Auburn running away with a seven-under first-place finish. They were one of only two teams to finish under par.
Similarly to their most recent tournament at Guadalajara Country Club, the Cavaliers started slow, recording their highest score of the event in the first round. Junior Kiera Bartholomew and sophomore Kennedy Swedick both opened at eight-over par, with junior Mira Berglund and freshman Elsie MacCleery faring slightly better at six and seven over.
A bright spot amid the rocky start was freshman Remi Bacardi, who finished the first round at one-over par and 16th overall. Fellow freshman Miranda Lu, competing as an individual, posted a respectable four-over par round to sit 50th overall.
Bacardi's strong effort, however, was not enough to offset her teammates’ scores, and the Cavaliers closed the day at 22-over par and in last place, 25 strokes behind the leader.
With a podium finish clearly out of reach, the Cavaliers entered day two needing a stronger showing.
Bartholomew answered the call, shooting a one-over round to climb 16 spots. Her momentum seemed to motivate some teammates as well, with Berglund improving from six over on day one to two over on day two, and Lu shooting a three-over 75.
Others did not follow suit. Bacardi, who led the team in the first round, shot a five-over 77, her worst round of the tournament, and dropped 31 spots on the leaderboard. Swedick and MacCleery added a nine-over and five-over.
The Cavaliers concluded the day in second-to-last place at 35-over par, sandwiched between Alabama and North Carolina State.
They responded in the third round, with nearly the entire lineup improving on their day two scores. Lu led the way, shooting an even-par 72 — her best round of the tournament — to finish tied for 42nd, the highest placing among any Cavalier. MacCleery also posted her best score of the weekend at two-over par, and Bacardi rebounded from her day two struggles to shoot a two-over 74, reminiscent of her strong opening round.
Not everyone could carry the momentum, though. Swedick continued to struggle, posting a five-over. Bartholomew, who had been a steadying force on day two, unraveled with a nine-over 81, her worst round of the weekend, dragging the Cavaliers to a 16th-place finish overall.
The story of the Moon Golf Invitational was one of missed timing. Rarely did the Cavaliers find their best golf at the same moment. Laha's absence was felt, though it is unlikely her scores alone would have dramatically shifted the outcome.
Virginia will look to bounce back at the Gators Invitational, traveling to Gainesville, Fla. to play at the Mark Bostick Golf Course from March 6-8. If the Cavaliers are to compete, they will need to do what they could not at Suntree — find a way to put their best golf together at the same time.
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