WINTER GARDENS, Fla. – The UIndy women's golf continued its charge towards history Friday, defeating defending national-champ Dallas Baptist, 4-1, in the national semifinal and earn a spot in Saturday's championship match.
 
Held at Orange County National just outside Orlando, Fla., the year's marquee tournament featured 54 holes of stroke play to determine the quarterfinalists. Only two teams remain now, however, as UIndy will take on St. Mary's in the medal/match play final Saturday morning starting at 8:30 a.m. ET.

SEMIFINAL
After escaping with a come-from-behind tiebreaker win in the morning quarters, the Greyhounds put some serious pressure on the defending champs from the start. Three Hounds birdied hole one, with four of them earning at least a three-stroke lead before the turn.
 
Ava Ray and Anci Dy were particularly effective, firing low scores of 68 and a 69, respectively, to win points for UIndy. Matilda Cederholm and Jess Haines also won their pairings, with each shooting even par. Caroline Whallon carded a solid 74, but ultimately lost by two strokes.

 

QUARTERFINAL
With the match scored knotted at 2-2, West Texas A&M's took a four-stroke lead into the final hole of the final pairing, looking to secure the win. But the lead evaporated in the Central Florida heat, as First Team All-American Anna Nomrowski uncharacteristically hit into trouble not once, but twice, opening the door for Ava Ray.
 
Ray calmly waited her turn as her opponent searched for her ball, but eventually she made par, halving the match and enacting the tiebreaker. Big wins from Jess Haines (four strokes) and Anci Dy (five strokes) put UIndy over the hump, as the team's total score was four shots better than that of the Aggies.

 

THURSDAY
Locked in a three-way tie for eighth place late in the third round, newly-named First Team All-American, junior Anci Dy fired four birdies on the back nine—including three in the final four holes—to lead the charge. All five Hounds had at least one birdie down the stretch.
 
But it was freshman Jess Haines that topped the Hounds when all the scores where finally tallied. Showing poise beyond her years, the rookie finished at even par in her first Nationals appearance, tying for 14th place with scores of 71-69-76.
 
Sophomore Ava Ray finished right behind her teammate at +1 and T-19. She carded an even-par 72 Thursday, as did Dy, who climbed to T-35. Both Matilda Cederholm and Caroline Whallon finished at +8 and T-53.
 
WEDNESDAY
Reigning GLVC Freshman of the Year Jess Haines continued her hot start at Nationals, firing a team-best 69 Wednesday to leap into the top five. She strung together a fabulous front nine, needing just 33 stroke before the turn, then shot even par on the back to move to -4 on the tournament. She currently sits just two back of the lead with 18 holes of stroke play to go.
 
Ava Ray made the biggest leap on the leaderboard, vaulting 15 spots after a one-under 71. She carded a team-high five birdies in the round, including four on the back nine. The Franklin, Ind., product is now at +1 and T-20 for the tournament.
 
The remaining three Hounds also moved up, with all three positioned in the 40s. Anci Dy (+5) carded a two-over 74 Wednesday and sits at T-43. Matilda Cederholm (+6) and Caroline Whallon (+6) are tied for 48th.
 
The third and final round of stroke play starts at 11:40 a.m. ET for the Greyhounds. Live results are available here.
 
TUESDAY
Making her Nationals debut, Haines opened the round par-birdie and continued to sink putts. The Somerset, England native racked up 13 pars and three birdies to settle at T-11 among the nation's best golfers.
 
Ava Ray finished at +2 after carding a birdie on the par-5 18th, while the balance of the UIndy quintet—Anci Dy, Matilda Cederholm and Caroline Whallon—all shot +3 on the day. Dy also birdied 18, Cederholm finished with five straight pars, while Whallon drained a long putt to birdie 17.