PRESCOTT, Ariz. --- The Biola women's golf team opened its 2014 season with a finish that was as good as any it recorded in the 2013 campaign, finishing fourth of six teams at the Embry-Riddle Co-Ed Invitational.
 
The tournament, played Sept. 28-29 at Talking Rock Golf Club, featured the usual suspects for these Southwest region NAIA tournaments, including: CSU San Marcos, Arizona Christian, the host school Embry-Riddle (AZ) and Biola. Also in play was Claremont-Mudd-Scripps and Warner Pacific.

"In general it was our first tournament and I'm very proud of the steady play of our ladies," said Head Coach Jane Carr. "I was very proud of our two freshmen in the first round of their collegiate careers."
 
CSU San Marcos took the team title, shooting a 948 (+84) over the course of the three-round tournament. The Eagles finished 80 strokes off the pace with a 1,048 (+164) total team score. Biola's fourth place finish put them in front of Arizona Christian and Warner Pacific by a wide margin.
 
The tournament was a positive start for Biola's women's squad, which shot a season-low round of 347 in 2013-14, but shot all three rounds below that mark at this season-opening tournament.
 
Jasmine Rodriguez and Sarah Paravia led the way to the improved scoring, finishing in 11^th and 13^th, respectively. Paravia shot all three of her rounds in the mid-80s in her first-ever collegiate tournament to finish with a 253 (+37). Rodriguez was the highest finisher for the team, thanks to her second round 81 (+9). The 81 was three strokes lower than her best round from a year ago. She ended the tournament with a 251 (+35), which could have been even better if not for some opening round jitters that led to an 87.

"Sarah Paravia is going to be a contender," said Carr. "She appears very set on being a 70s player and tournament contender. jasmine Rodriguez is our team captain and led our team in the tournament with three solid rounds. Her mental game on the course is the strongest its been in her time with the Eagles."
 
Amanda Hobbs and newcomer Whitney Jammerman were the other two Eagles to contribute to Biola's team score. Hobbs carded a total score of 258 (+42), while Jammerman posted a 266 (+50); both golfers also finished inside the top-20. Hobbs tied with Rodriguez for the Eagles' lowest score of the tournament. She carded an 81 in the first round.
 
All four of Biola's counting scorers registered rounds of 90 or fewer in each of the three rounds of this tournament. Only two of Biola's 19 rounds in 2013 featured four scorers with a 90 or below.
 
Following the promising finish, the young team has a little under a month to get back to practice before entering the Firestone Grill Invitational, hosted by Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Oct. 25-26.