SOUTHERN PINES, N.C. –– The eight-golfer Virginia-Maryland junior girls’ squad earned a 12-point halve in final day singles action, but it wasn’t quite enough as their Carolinas counterparts won the 4th Mid-Atlantic Girls’ Challenge, 20½-15½. The matches concluded today at Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club (5,985 yards, par 71). In the format, a point is earned for winning the outward nine, the inward half and the overall match.

The Virginia-Maryland contingent got off to a strong start on the last day, posting a trio of wins in the first three matches and outscoring Carolinas, 8-1 during that stretch. Recent VSGA Junior Girls’ runner-up Whitney Neuhauser (Barboursville, Va.) blanked Emily Street (Forest City, N.C.) in the first match, while Manakin-Sabot’s Hunter Ross shut out Lauren Tomlinson (Greeleyville, S.C.) in match three. Ross was 6 up on the outward half and 2 up on the inward nine in posting a victory. In match two, Michelle Grilli (Pikesville, Md.) bested Abby Bools (Hickory, N.C.), 2-1. Grilli contributed a team-best four-and-a-half points over the weekend for Virginia-Maryland.

However, Carolinas depth proved to be the difference as they registered victories in each of the final five matches, outscoring Virginia-Maryland 11-4 in that deciding span. Sydney Crane (Jamestown, N.C.) and Emily Rapp (Simpsonville, S.C.) helped to lead the victors, scoring two-and-a-half points in matches five and eight, respectively. In addition, Erica Creed (Kernersville, N.C.), Jordan Ridge (Pinehurst, N.C.) and Amber Littman (Stoney Creek, N.C.) scored two points each in bolstering Carolinas. In the last five matches, Virginia-Maryland received a point apiece from Emily Kwak (Silver Spring, Md.), Hayley Milbourn (Baltimore, Md.) and Brielle Paolini (Virginia Beach, Va.), while Sarah Harvey (Forest, Va.) and Hilary Lawson (Montgomery Village, Md.) contributed one-half point.

Carolinas, which also won last year’s matches 23-13 at Independence Golf Club in Midlothian, Va., now leads the all-time series, 3-1-0. Virginia-Maryland’s win came in 2003 when they triumphed 8½-7½ at Pinewild Country Club in Pinehurst, N.C. Carolinas claimed the debut event, 9-7 in 2002 at Independence Golf Club.

SOUTHERN PINES, N.C. –– Results following final round singles matches at the 4th Mid-Atlantic Girls’ Challenge at Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club (5,985 yards, par 71) on Sunday, Aug. 7.