App State Women’s Golf posted the best final-round score in the entire field, highlighted by Layla Meric shooting the low round of the day, as the Mountaineers wrapped up play at the Mimosa Hills Intercollegiate on Tuesday.

App State closed with a 9-over 297, as Western Carolina (final-day 301) edged reigning Sun Belt champion Georgia Southern (final-day 312) for first in the team race. As the only team to break 300 on Tuesday, the host Mountaineers placed eighth in the 12-team field.

Braelyn Pippin tied for 13th overall at 14 over (78-77-75—230), and Meric’s 1-under 71 in the final round included three birdies. She had the only under-par round in the field Tuesday.

Playing as an individual, Ekaterina Prokhorova was the Mountaineers’ second-best finisher in a tie for 26th. In addition to Pippin and Meric, Shani Brynard (75) and Hannah Wang (76) contributed to the 297 total, which was the team’s best round of the spring.

Andrea Diaz rounded out the lineup, and Jacquelyn Taylor finished 42nd as an individual.

DAY 1 RECAP

Pippin’s 5-over 77 led App State in Round 2, followed by Brynard and Diaz with 78s.

Pippin (tie for 22nd) and Prokhorova (tie for 28th as an individual) had the best 36-hole totals as App State entered the final day in ninth place.

Prokhorova was tied for 18th after an opening-round 77 with three birdies, and Pippin was tied for 24th.

Wang was even through 10 holes with three birdies in a four-hole stretch, and she finished the opening round with four birdies. Prokhorova was 2 over through 13 holes (birdies at No. 5 and No. 7), and Pippin played her first 17 holes at 4 over.