MT. PLEASANT, S.C. – The No. 25 University of North Georgia women's golf team finished in third place out of 13 teams at the Low Tide Intercollegiate Tuesday afternoon. Host No. 20 Limestone won the event with a combined team score of 875 as the Saints finished 11-over-par in the three round event held at Dunes West Golf Club.

Following the Saints was No. 15 Lee, who finished five shots behind at 880 in second place. The Nighthawks shot a 16-over 304 as a team in round three on Tuesday to finish at 890 (+26). 

UNG beat out fellow Peach Belt member and No. 18 ranked Lander by seven shots as the Bearcats compiled a team score of 897. 

Junior Ellie Rippee finished atop the individual leaderboard in a tie for first place after finishing with a total score of 214 at two-under-par. The result is the best tournament finish in Rippee's career and the first time she's finished in first place. She was one of just two individual competitors to finish under par among the entire field, joined by Limestone's Claudia Hastings who also finished at two-under to tie for first with Rippee.

Hastings and Rippee competed in one playoff hole in which Hastings parred and Rippee bogeyed.

Rippee, after having posted rounds of 72 and 68 yesterday to end day one at four-under, put up a two-over 74 in round three to maintain first place. Her 68 on Monday is an 18-hole career best for the junior. Despite four bogeys on day two, back-to-back birdies on the par-4 third and par-5 fourth holes propelled the McKinney, Texas native to the podium.

The Nighthawks will continue their trek through the Carolinas for their next competition as the team heads to Monroe, N.C. for the Jerry Surratt Memorial, hosted by Wingate. The event takes place over two days at Stonebridge Golf Club and begins Monday, Mar. 11.