MCALLEN, Texas – Going head-to-head in match play, the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and UTRGV golf programs will round out the fall slate against each other as part of the South Texas Showdown, presented by Rally Credit Union, Friday at the McAllen Country Club.
Play will begin at 2 p.m. with five student-athletes competing in a one-on-one format against the Vaqueros with a lineup of
Samantha Gibbs,
Lucia Ramirez,
Tristan Gabbard,
Carla Puente Fernandez, and
Elsa Tornvall. The team that wins the most matches will be crowned the winner.
The results will be counted towards the South Texas Showdown, presented by Rally Credit Union, an annual series between A&M-Corpus Christi and UTRGV. The winner will be awarded 3.0 points towards the institutional rivalry, which A&M-Corpus Christi leads 6-2 in the all-time series.
The Islanders already have an early 3-0 lead in this year's competition after volleyball won in five sets in Edinburg. The golf teams will face each other again for another 3.0 possible points in the spring during A&M-Corpus Christi's home tournament.
The Islanders are coming off their best round of the season with a 293 in round three of Arkansas-Little Rock's Diamante Classic. It was the first tournament this year that the team posted two rounds under 300 after turning in a 299 in round two.
"Looking forward to the competition tomorrow against UTRGV in a match play format," said head coach
Chris Adams. "We are coming off our best round of the seaosn with an opportunity to get points toward the South Texas Showdown and finish the fall on a positive note."
Ramirez spearheaded the low round with a season-best 70 (-2) in that final round. She has gone back-to-back tournaments to record a round under par after shooting a 71 (-1) at Arkansas State. Both times came in the third round, and she remains the only Islander to shoot below par this year.
Gibbs has been the most consistent this year, leading the team with a 77.8 scoring average through 12 rounds. Ramirez is right behind her with a 77.9 average and newcomer Gabbard is also averaging in the 70s at a 78.8.
The Islanders have beaten UTRGV the last two seasons in match play, winning 5-2 in 2022 and 4-2 last year.
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