Nebraska women's golfer Kirsten Baete fired a final-round 69 to vault up the leader board and tie for 30th individually at the NCAA Stanford Regional in California on Wednesday.
Playing in the final round of her collegiate career, Baete left it all out on the 6,267-yard, par-71 layout of the Stanford Golf Course, scorching the back nine with a three-under par 33 to close out a sensational round that featured five birdies, 11 pars and a pair of bogeys.
Her final-round 69 was the best individual round by a Husker in NCAA Regional competition in school history, while her 220 (+7) over three rounds matched the best three-round score by a Nebraska golfer in NCAA Regional play, tying All-American Sarah Sasse's 220 at the 2000 NCAA West Regional and JC Stevenson's 220 at the 2008 NCAA Central Regional.
"Terrific play by Kirsten today," said Lisa Johnson, who spent her final days as Nebraska's head coach with Baete at the regional. "She left it all out there and finished with one of the lowest final rounds of the field. Kirsten had a tremendous career. She excelled in the classroom and on the course. She displayed an outstanding work ethic and lots of grit in her five-year career."
Baete vaulted 13 spots up the leader board on the final day of competition to claim Nebraska's best individual NCAA Regional finish since JC Stevenson tied for 14th (220) and Elli Brown tied for 22nd at the 2008 NCAA Central Regional in Austin, Texas (May 8-10).
USC's Amari Avery, ranked No. 5 nationally entering the tournament, won the regional title with a three-round total of 204 (-9), including a final-round 68. She defeated the nation's top-ranked golfer, Rose Zhang from Stanford, by one stroke. Zhang finished at 205 (-8), including a final-round 66.
USC won the team title with a three-round total of 837 (-15), defeating both Stanford and LSU by eight strokes.
