EAST LANSING, Mich. – After finishing in fifth-place at the NCAA Regionals on Wednesday afternoon, the Pepperdine women's golf team has advanced to the NCAA Finals for the 14^th time in program history.
 
"We really appreciate all the love and support of our wonderful family and friends from around the world, especially during an exciting final round today for the team," said Head Coach Laurie Gibbs.  "Coach Kacey and I are so very proud of how all the players contributed to our success and never stopped grinding out a score on each of the 54 holes. Thank you to Steve Potts, Jim Gash, Tim Perrin and all the Athletic Department staff that provides everything for our student-athletes to be successful in the classroom and in competition!"
 
The Waves finished with a score of 863 (283-290-290) at the par-72, 6,325-yard Forest Akers Golf Course, battling through an exciting final round with many teams in contention for those coveted top-five positions.  The team's 1-under is the best 54-hole score at any NCAA Regional in program history, leading the previous record of 9-over 873 which was set last season by the Waves at the San Antonio Regional by 10-strokes.  
 
Pepperdine had four players in the top-20, led by a solid performance from junior Lauren Gomez, who finished tied for seventh today.  Gomez's 4-under 212 tied for second in the record books for 54-hole individual scores at the NCAA Regionals, a feat that has only been achieved twice before.  Grace Na also scored a 212 in 2014 at SouthWood Golf Course as she tied for seventh and Hira Naveed holds the record after posting a 5-under 211 at TPC Harding Park in 2018 as she tied for sixth.
 
The NCAA Finals will be held at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, Calif. from May 17-22.  The top five teams, and top individual from a non-advancing team, from all six regional sites advance to the final site.  Pepperdine, along with #6 USC who won the regional, #43 Oklahoma State, #30 Michigan State and #8 Northwestern, advanced through to the next rounds.  Pepperdine led the team in sixth-place by four strokes. Lauren Beaudreau, competing as an individual for Notre Dame, won the regional by a 3-stroke margin.
 
PLAYER SCORES

• Junior Lauren Gomez (Murrieta, Calif.) tied for 7^th with a score of 212 (72-70-70).  She went 1-under on a bogeyless front nine to set the tone today and though she had one bogey on hole 11, she rallied with two more birdies through the round to finish 2-under on the day and 4-under overall.  She finished with eight birdies overall this week and shot for par on 39 of her other 46-holes played.  Today's finish marked her fifth top-10 finish this season.
• Sophomore Jeneath Wong (Melbourne, Australia) turned in another impressive performance after shooting 215 (71-71-73) to tie for 12^th, having finished in the top-20 in eight of the team's nine events played this season.  She had three birdies today and finished with eight overall, also posting par finishes on 39 of her other 46-holes played.
• Senior Lion Higo (Gold Coast, Australia) ended the tournament tied for 20^th with a 219 (67-76-76).  She highlighted the first day of action with the program-best 18-hole score at any NCAA Regional throughout history and finished up with eight birdies overall. 
• Senior Kaleiya Romero (San Jose, Calif.) also tied for 20^th with a 219 (73-73-73).  After an early bogey started her day, she fired off 3-under through the rest of the front nine to get back on track.  She posted a few more bogeys on the back nine, but stayed consistent with 73's through all three rounds for the Waves.  She led the team with 11 birdies altogether.
• Sophomore Yingzhi Zhu (Nanjing, China) scored a 225 (75-76-74) to tie for 41^st this week.  She had three birdies in the final round today and posted seven throughout the tournament.

 
THE NUMBERS
Team Scores:
Advanced to Finals: 1. USC 855; 2. Oklahoma State 859; 3. Michigan State 860; 4. Northwestern 861; 5. Pepperdine 863; Non-Advancing Teams: 6. Denver 867; 7. Florida 871; 8. Kentucky 884; 9. Augusta 891; 10. Indiana 895; 11. Oakland 899; 12. Illinois State 918.
 
Individual Scores: 1. Lauren Beaudreau (Notre Dame) 204; 2. Bailey Shoemaker (USC) 207; 3. Maddison Hinson-Tolchard (OKSU) 308; 4. Leila Raines (Michigan State) 210; T5. Catherine Park (USC) 211; T5. Lauryn Nguyen (Northwestern) 211; T7. Lauren Gomez (Pepperdine) 212; T7. Marta Silchenko (OKSU) 212; T7. Anna Zanusso (Denver) 212.