The Barton Community College women's golf team placed 7th Tuesday at the Lady Tiger Classic held at Hays' Smoky Hill Country Club.
Playing on its first upper tier course and among a field of NCAA Division II teams coming off spring 2022 Top-25 rankings, Barton held its own among the twelve team tournament.
The Cougars stood in 7th place after Monday's 37-over 325, slipping one on the scorecard at 38-over 326 for a combined 75-over 651 but holding steady in the final placing.
Central Missouri, ranked 23rd in last spring's rankings, ran away with the team title compiling a 32-over 608 for a twenty-two stroke victory. Barton placed one stroke behind Central Oklahoma's 74-over and five strokes ahead of Northwestern Missouri's 80-over.
Yu Wei Chiang paced the Cougars with a 21st place tie in the seventy participant field, falling two spots in the final round despite posting consecutive 80 rounds for a 16-over 160.
Four strokes back was Saya Schweitzer in 26th, carding 81 and 83 rounds for a 20-over 164.
Pornnapa Inmee led the Cougars with a final round climb of ten spots, jumping from the 46th position after an 86 round improving six strokes into the 36th spots with an accumulated 22-over 166. Andrea Peraza had opposite scores of Inmee, opening with a 19th best 80 card in falling into the 36th place tie with an 86.
Barton's remaining four entries each improved in their respective second time around layout. Valentina Leyva carded 84-83 rounds for a 39th place 23-over 167 while Paulina Villavicencio bounced back with the Cougars' biggest day two improvement of seven strokes by following a 99 with a 92 for 67th place 47-over 191. Katina Bartel improved four strokes from a 107 to 103 for a 69th place 66-over 210 with Allyson Kaiser shaving off three strokes from a 110 to 107 for a 73-over 217 70th placing overall.
The Cougars look to build upon the experience for its next fall season test coming October 6-7 in the NJCAA National Championship Preview held at Garden City's Buffalo Dunes Golf Course.