BOULDER CITY, Nev. — Scoring the best overall team and top-individual finishes for the Highlanders in an event since 2018, Kate Villegas earned a 3rd-place tie and the Highlanders ended in 4th place to conclude the third and final round of The Clash at Boulder Creek Tuesday at the Desert Hawk/Coyote Run at Boulder Creek Golf Club.
 
Villegas shot a third-round 70 (-2) to climb two spots overall from a tie for 5th after Round 2, with four birdies and two bogies on her final day, followed into the clubhouse by Vanessa Betancourt (T13), who also moved up two spots on her final round with an even-par 72. Next was Tiffany Le, whose 6-over 78 left her tied for 28th with team's highest score on the day. Nicole Le was one stroke better than her sister Tuesday to finish T34 while Mylan Hirata (T50) carded a final-round 76.
 
The overall team and top-individual finishes are the best for UC Riverside since Sept. 28-30, 2018, when Jakeishya Le won the individual title and the Highlanders were runners-up at the Desert Intercollegiate. Tuesday's results rise above those UCR earned at the 2020 Big West Championship, where then-freshman Vanessa Betancourt was T4th and UCR ended T5th, and the 2019 Big West Championship, where then-freshman Le finished 5th and UCR was tied for 5th.
 
"Kate's finish was impressive in these conditions," said head coach Mary Ritchie. "It's great to have the experience of being in contention. We'll have several good takeaways that we'll work on during off-season."
 
The team will set its sights still higher for the spring schedule, knowing it was within five strokes of the lead when play began on Tuesday. With competitive team chemistry sure to propel the student-athletes toward their potential on the course and in the classroom, UC Riverside continues its course into a very bright future in 2022.
 
The Clash at Boulder Creek
Hosted by Northern Arizona University
Oct 24-26, 2021 | Boulder City, NV
Desert Hawk/Coyote Run - Boulder Creek Golf Club
Round 2 Results - Monday, October 25, 2021
Par-Yardage: 72-6309
Pos. School Rnd 1 Rnd 2 Rnd 3 Total To Par
1 UNLV 297 287 280 864 E
2 Fresno State 293 308 279 880 +16
3 San Fran 286 308 288 882 +18
4 UC Riverside 293 296 295 884 +20
T 3 Kate Villegas 74 73 70 217 +1
T 11 Vanessa Betancourt 72 76 72 220 +4
T 28 Tiffany Le 74 72 78 224 +8
T 34 Nicole Le 73 75 77 225 +9
T 50 Mylan Hirata 74 80 76 230 +14
5 Grand Canyon University 299 299 291 889 +25
T6 Utah Valley 292 307 298 897 +33
T 6 Seattle U 294 306 297 897 +33
8 Sac State 303 305 292 900 +36
9 Gonzaga 300 305 298 903 +39
10 S. Dak. St 300 312 292 904 +40
11 Long Beach State 308 299 298 905 +41
12 Northern Arizona 305 308 296 909 +45
13 California Baptist 303 312 301 916 +52
14 So. Utah 308 315 296 919 +55
15 Weber St. 310 318 293 921 +57
16 N. Dakota 311 304 307 922 +58
17 Wyoming 303 322 298 923 +59
18 Portland State 308 324 310 942 +78