Northeast Conference Championship Page

Complete Results

ChampionsGate, Fla. – Birdies on the 15th and 16th holes proved the difference as LIU senior Natalie Desjardins fired a final-round 76 at the Northeast Conference Championship in ChampionsGate, Fla., to capture the individual title with a final score of 226 (76-74-76), two strokes ahead of defending champion Michelle Holzwarth of Fairleigh Dickinson. Long Island was the team runner-up for the second straight year, finishing three strokes behind two-time champion Fairleigh Dickinson.

Both individually and on the team level, the leaderboard fluctuated all afternoon. Falling behind to Holzwarth after nine holes, Desjardins recovered from a 40 on the front side to record an even-par 36 on the tournament's final nine holes. After finishing second a year ago to Holzwarth, Desjardins provided a fitting end to her career, winning her first NEC crown and collecting her ninth career individual tournament title.

The Blackbirds finished only three strokes behind the Knights with a team score of 967. Fairleigh Dickinson posted a Sunday-best 316 in the final round to vault three spots up the leaderboard to capture the title.

Long Island saw junior Andrea Staudacher and sophomore Anna Palsson take sixth and seventh, respectively. Finishing 12 strokes behind Desjardins, Staudacher used a first-round 76 to tie for the lead after 18 holes en route to a 238 (76-82-80) final score. Palsson was a steady presence for LIU over the course of the tournament with rounds of 80-79-80. The sophomore was especially successful on the course's back nine, where she carded scores of 37-37-39.

Sophomore Julia Rappa concluded LIU's scoring on the final day with a 92. The Blackbirds' fourth scorer on Friday and Saturday was freshman Linnea Jonsson who carded identical 86s.