PALM DESERT, California – With just a pair of events left to go before the PacWest Conference Championship competition, the Hawai'i Hilo Women's Golf team flexed a runner-up finish led by individual runner-up Tia Kuali'i at the Augustana Spring Fling at the Desert Willow Golf Resort.

Kuali'i shot rounds of 77 and 76 for a plus-nine placement at No. 2. Kuali'i birdied three out of four on Holes 6-9 in the second round of action.

Elle Otani (No. 4) and Kiersten Saludares (No. 10) also landed in the top 20 to help the Vulcans to a second-place finish. Both Kuali'i and the Vulcans found themselves sitting atop the leader boards at the end of Day 1, shooting 323 as a team for a three-shot lead. Hawai'i Hilo improved its team score by 15 shots, but host Augustana managed to post a 31-stroke improvement with a 298 total (plus-10) in the final round to screech six spots up for the team win. Molly Stevens led the Vikings with a 71 on Day 2 as she claimed the individual title at five shots ahead of Kuali'i.

UP NEXT

Hawai'i Hilo will next be in action in early April competing at the WT Desert Invitational (April 1-2) in Tucson, Arizona followed by the RJGA Palm Valley Classic (April 5-6) in Goodyear, Arizona.

The PacWest Conference Championship is set for April 15-17 at the Mauna Lani Golf Course on the west side of the Big Island.

* Competed as Individual