LITCHFIELD PARK, Ariz. — Led by top-25 finishes from Daniela Abonce and Morgan Ellison, UTSA placed seventh at the Clover Cup, which wrapped up on Wednesday at Wigwam Resort’s Blue Course (par 70/5,860 yards).
Abonce tied for 20th and Ellison grabbed a share of 24th to help the Roadrunners take seventh with an 879, seven shots ahead of Northern Illinois and 10 in front of UNC Wilmington while ending up just six strokes behind sixth-place Colorado State.
Abonce carded a 6-over-par 216 to earn a share of 20th alongside Texas A&M’s Sky Sudberry, marking her fifth top-20 performance of the 2024-25 season. After opening with a 74 on Monday, the junior from Mexico registered consecutive 1-over 71s to close out the week. Her final-round scorecard featured four birdies that pushed her total to a team-high 10 for the event. The reigning American Athletic Conference medalist had one birdie as part of a 39 on the front nine before enjoying a bogey-free 32 on the back that included birdies on the 294-yard, par-4 14th, the 374-yard, par-4 16th and the 514-yard, par-5 18th holes.
Ellison was three shots behind her teammate in a three-way tie for 24th (219). After carding rounds of 71 and 76 on the first two days, the senior from Georgia turned in a 2-over 72 that was highlighted by three birdies over a five-hole stretch. Entering No. 14 at 4-over for the day, she wrote down back to back birdies and then countered a bogey on the 17th with a four on the 514-yard 18th to close out her week in the Valley of the Sun.
Three Roadrunners finished as part of a tie for 41st as Maria Bastarrica, Lauren Rios and Olivia Williams all posted a 225.
After opening the tournament with a 75-76—151, Bastarrica logged her best round of the week on the final day with a 74 that included a birdie on the 14th.
Rios started her week with a 1-over 71 on Monday and then bounced back from an 80 with a 74 on Wednesday behind three birdies, including a pair on a three-hole stretch on the front nine where she carded an even-par 35.
Williams started the event with a 72 before finishing with rounds of 77 and 76, the last of which including a pair of birdies.
No. 8 Arizona State claimed the team title with a 13-under 827, followed by No 43 Clemson (-9), 16th-ranked Texas A&M (-1), Indiana (+10) and host Notre Dame (+15) in the 12-team field.
Clemson’s Melena Barrientos won the individual crown with an 8-under 202 (72-64-66).
The Roadrunners will return to the course on March 31-April 1 at the Coach Mo Classic in St. Augustine, Florida.
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