The seven-seed Cavaliers bowed out of the ACC Women’s Golf Championship in Wilmington, N.C., at Porters Neck Country Club after the first two rounds of stroke play. The Cavaliers played a grueling 54 holes of golf in a two-day margin, but Virginia was not among the top six teams that advanced to match play Saturday and Sunday.
In the opening 36 holes Thursday, the Cavaliers were tied for ninth at four-over-par with rival Virginia Tech, with all five starters but junior Jaclyn LaHa recording over the break-even. LaHa shot one-under-par on the opening day, tying for 14th. Freshman Remi Bacardi sat three strokes behind LaHa, at two-over-par and tied for 35th.
Meanwhile, No. 1 Stanford quickly stormed ahead Thursday at 23-under-par and a monstrous 11-stroke lead.
Friday, in the final 18 holes of stroke play, the Cavaliers' ACC match play hopes came to a grinding halt.
Virginia remained in ninth place on the leaderboard, carding one-under-par overall on 863 total strokes. Once again, LaHa was a highlight, shooting three-under-par in the final round and tying for 11th place as an individual in stroke play.
Sophomore Kennedy Swedick followed behind LaHa, recording a two-over-par score after 54 holes and tying for 35th place. Bacardi and freshman Elsie MacCleery each finished three-over-par and tied at 45th. To cap off the starters, junior Mira Bergland scored five-over-par overall.
The Cavaliers found some footing in the final round of stroke play, carding five-under-par after a choppy first 36 holes. Ultimately, though, Virginia lacked the collective firepower to compete with the top six teams who moved on to match play. No. 12 North Carolina was the last team to advance to the weekend, and the Tar Heels outperformed the Cavaliers by seven strokes.
The Cardinal maintained their 11-stroke lead, earning the ACC stroke play crown in a 33-under-par finish. No. 26 SMU placed second at 22-under-par. Stanford proceeded to win the ACC Championship in match play Sunday in dominating fashion.
While the ninth-place finish in the conference battle was not the statement the Cavaliers hoped to make, their body of work throughout the season has likely proven enough to keep their postseason hopes alive. Projected as an at-large regional candidate prior to the ACC Championship, Virginia now turns its attention to the NCAA Championship, with regional play commencing May 11.
The Cavaliers enter the NCAAs with a notably young roster. While their path to the finals remains narrow, the upcoming weeks offer the rising cohort a vital chance to gain experience against the nation’s most elite competition. Regardless of how the bid materializes and the ACC Championship now in the rearview, Virginia will shift its focus to the national stage, with a wealth of growth and opportunity sitting at arm’s length.
Before the NCAA Regionals kick off in nearly three weeks, the NCAA Division I Women’s Golf Championship Selection Show will air April 29 at 5 p.m. on the Golf Channel to determine the regional placements.
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