WILLIAMSBURG, Va. - After sitting in 12th place after the first round of the William & Mary Invitational, the Navy women's golf team fired a 7-over par, 295 in the second round to enter Monday's final round in sole possession of 10th place. The Midshipmen ultimately finished the event in ninth place with a 39-over par 903.
 
Navy's overall score of 903 ranks as the fifth-best performance in program history for a 54-hole tournament, besting the previous score of 907 set at the 2019 Patriot League Championship Tournament by four strokes. Additionally, the Midshipmen had three athletes finish in the top-35 of the individual standings in a 79-player field.
 
"I'm super proud of how our team performed," said head coach Nadia Ste-Marie. "It's exciting to get our season off on such a positive note. This team is proving to be an amazing group both on and off the course."
 
Newcomer Bridget Hoang (Fr., Lawrenceville, Ga.) paced the Navy starting five, posting a 5-over par 76 in round one followed by an even-par 72 in round two to head into Monday's final round with a 4-over 148. A meteoric rise ensued for Hoang in round three, rising nine spots in the individual rankings with a final round 1-over par 73 to finish tied for 17th place with an overall 5-over par 221.
 
The freshman's 221 ranks as the seventh-best overall score in a 54-hole tournament in program history. 
 
Mara Hirtle (So., Pinehurt, N.C.) opened the tournament with a 6-over par 78 in round one, but bounced back with a career-best 72 to open Monday's second round to maintain her score heading into the third and final 18 holes. The sophomore shot a 4-over 76 in the final round to finish the tournament with an overall 10-over par 226, besting her career-scoring average of 79.2 by just under four strokes and finishing the invitational tied for 33rd-place.
 
Stephanie Lee (So., Southlake, Texas) began the tournament by shooting a 4-over 76 on Sunday prior to besting that score by a stroke in the second round with a 3-over 75, bringing her score entering the third round to a 7-over 151. In the third and final round, Lee recorded her second 4-over 76 of the tournament to bring her final to an 11-over par 227, finishing tied for 35th-place. Additionally, the eight birdies through three rounds for Lee ranked tied the fifth-most in the event.
 
Tori Smith (Sr., Arlington, Texas) improved her score in each round, including rising 11 spots after sitting in a tie for 58th-place after shooting a 7-over 79 on Sunday. In the second round, Smith improved her tally by one stroke, posting a 6-over 78 in the second round. Entering the final round with a 13-over 157, Smith turned in a 2-over 74 tying the second-best mark for a single round in her career to secure a final 15-over par 231.
 
Rounding out the starting five for Navy was freshman Hannah Han-Kim (Potomac, Md.) who played to a 9-over par 81 in round one before bouncing back with a 4-over par 76 in the second round to enter Monday's final round at 13-over par. The freshman ultimately finished with a 16-over, 88 in the third round to finish with a 29-over par 245.
 
Navy is back in action on September 25 as it travels to take part in the Bucknell Invitational in Lewisburg, Pa.