GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – The Point Loma Nazarene women's golf team finished in 20th place at the 2012 NAIA National Championship Tournament with freshman Andrea Mersino placing in a tie for 25th overall.

The first-year program got off to a rough start but played much better over the next two rounds of play at Link Hills Country Club. Through three days, and 54 holes, the Sea Lions tallied a combined score of 985. Unfortunately, that number has the PLNU squad in 20th place out of 28 teams, which is three slots short of making the cut for Friday's final 18 holes of competition.

The good news for PLNU – besides that the team finished above than its No. 23 ranking – is that Mersino's 233 (81-75-77) through three rounds had her in 29th place in the 144-person field. That score qualified Mersino to participate in Friday's fourth round as the top 40 golfers – as well as the top 17 teams – advanced. The PLNU freshman was in 80th place after Tuesday and moved up to 43rd after round two.

“This is the first time I have ever played in a tournament with a cut,” said Mersino. “So I am glad that I made the cut and that I was able to comeback from my start. I pushed hard and got done what I needed to get done.”

On Thursday, Mersino registered four straight pars and then an eagle on five. She dropped back with two bogies and a double bogie on the next three holes though, but had two birdies, a pair of bogies and a double over the back nine for a 4-over 77. Mersino improved rapidly from rounds one and two. She did not have a birdie over the first 18 but had three the next day.

During the final round of play on Friday, Mersino shot 77 again for a four-round 310 total and moved up to finish in a tie for 25th place. Mersino started off registered just one birdie over the final 18 holes but had only five bogies - one over the back nine for a solid 77.

The Sea Lions brought just four golfers, meaning there was no chance of throwing out the high score for each round. Point Loma's Kathleen Crossley finished tied for 65th place with a 240. Crossley carded rounds of 83, 79 and 78. She started off the tournament with an eagle on Tuesday but would record just four birdies the rest of the way while having 22 bogies or double bogies.

Alyssa Orito tied for 90th place with a score of 247. She shot 87 on Tuesday and then had two 80s to finish. Orito had just two birdies through 54 holes, although she settled in after the first 18.

Placing 124th overall was Summer Downs who had rounds of 89, 88 and 88 – the first time that the freshman has ever notched three consecutive below-90 rounds.

The Green and Gold got off to a poor start and that is what did the team in at the end. On Tuesday, the Sea Lions went into the clubhouse with a disappointing 340 and were in 25th place. The ladies responded; however, and posted rounds of 322 and 323, rising to 23rd and then 20th place overall.  

“Today the team was more focused, more relaxed,” Coach Jacqui McSorley said on Wednesday. “There is no pressure now; there is nothing to lose. They just have to go out and play. I am really proud on how they bounced back.”

The Sea Lions' final results were still 31 strokes short of reaching the top 17 and a fourth day of competition.

"I was thrilled we moved up a couple spots,” said McSorley. “We finished better than our ranking and 20th is much better than 25th. They have the experience now, so the good news is that we are all going to get better.”

British Columbia captured the team championship. The title is the fourth in program history for the Thunderbirds, and is their second in the last three years, after capturing the crown in 2010.

British Columbia finished play with an overall score of 1211 (+43), bettering a 1213 (+45) posted by SCAD by just two shots, as both wrestled with the lead back-and-forth all day long.

The tournament was ultimately decided when British Columbia's Kylie Barros posted an even-par score of 73, bettering her partner in her group, SCAD's Becky Tetrick by two shots. The Thunderbirds then hung onto the two shot lead in their final grouping of the afternoon to capture the national title, as freshman Stephanie Wong sunk a par putt on the final hole of the tournament to clinch it.

Across the team leaderboard, SCAD was the runner-up with their 1213 total, as Alazne Urizar paced the Bees on the final day with an even par round of 73. Rounding out the top four was Embry-Riddle (Fla.), who posted a final total of 1215 (+47), and William Woods (Mo.), who placed fourth with a score of 1224 (+56). The Owls were paced by Jamie Palermo, whose 72-hole total score of 295 (+3) tied a William Woods women's and men's golf program low for a 72-hole event.

In the individual race, Victoria's (B.C.) Megan Woodland hung on, firing a four-day total score of 292 (even) and an even par round of 73 in the final round to capture individual medalist honors. Woodland held off Oklahoma Christian's Anna Arrese Cortadellas, (293 total, +1), clinching the tournament with a par on her final hole of the day, the par five ninth.

Around the individual leaderboard, Palermo finished third, while Oklahoma City's Jessica Schiele placed fourth (296 total, +4), while Barros and Embry-Riddle's Connie Pitenis tied for fifth (297 total, +5).