LAKEWOOD, Wash. – After carding a solid final-round 8-over-par 296, the Utah Valley University women's golf team moved up three spots to post a 10th-place finish out of 18 teams at Seattle U's Pat Lesser Harbottle Invitational on Tuesday at Tacoma Country & Golf Club with a 41-over-par 905. 
 
Sophomore Nathalie Irlbacher led the way for the Wolverines by tying for 20th with a 6-over-par 222. After opening with a 76 during Monday's opening round, Irlbacher responded by firing a pair of 1-over-par 73s to finish at +6. Irlbacher, who led UVU with seven birdies at the event, also dropped in her first collegiate eagle during Tuesday's final round on the par-4, 350-yard hole No. 8.
 
Senior Kaylee Shimizu also posted a top-30 finish by tying for 30th with a 9-over-par 225. Shimizu recorded scores of 78, 72 and 75 on her way to tallying the top-30 finish. Fellow senior Kate Williamson tied for 38th with an 11-over-par 227 (73-80-74), while freshman Victoria Estrada followed by tying for 64th with a 16-over-par 232 (79-78-75) and junior Bailey Henley capped UVU's competitors at the event by placing 86th with a 238 (81-83-74). 
 
After opening with team scores of 306 and 303 on Monday, Utah Valley rebounded by firing a 296 on Tuesday to finish the event in 10th place. By placing 10th, UVU finished ahead of in-state foe Weber State (909), High Point (909), CSUN (913), Santa Clara (914), Wyoming (916), Boise State (919), Montana (920) and North Dakota (928). UVU's final-round 296 was the fifth lowest score of the day.

"By improving every round, it is difficult to say I am dissatisfied. However, I see so much talent on this team, I know we can play even better," head UVU coach Dr. Sue Nyhus said. "We are easily breaking school records regularly and yet I know there is more to come. Again we fired one of the lowest rounds of the day during the last round today."

Gonzaga won the event with a 4-under-par 860 (290-278-292), while WAC foe and host Seattle U took second at 9-over-par (292-295-286—873) and Nevada placed third at 16-over (298-290-292—880). Quynn Duong of Gonzaga earned individual medalist honors by carding a 7-under-par 209 (69-69-71). 
 
The Wolverines will conclude the fall portion of their schedule by next heading to Hot Springs Village, Arkansas, on Oct. 27-29 to take part at the Little Rock Women's Golf Classic. The three-day event will be held at Diamante Country Club. 

"We have three players averaging under 75 and three more just over 77. The toughest part is deciding who the best five will be for any given event," Nyhus added. "In some ways that is a good problem to have but all the Wolverines have really stepped up their games this fall. We are looking forward to taking on the East Coast teams in Arkansas in two weeks. Hopefully we play three rounds like today's final round."