MIDLOTHIAN, VA—Fueled by three late-match shutouts, the Carolinas junior girls’ team scored a 13½-10½ final day singles victory over Virginia-Maryland to post a 23-13 win as the 3^rd Mid-Atlantic Girls’ Challenge concluded today a Independence Golf Club (6,036 yards, par 36-36—72).

A team of juniors mixing North and South Carolina players against their Virginia and Maryland counterparts competed in the championship. In the format, a point is earned for winning the outward nine, the inward half and the overall match.

After trailing 9½-2½ after first day four-ball action, the Virginias-Maryland team rallied to win the first three matches of the last day to gain an advantage.

Bolstered by strong play that included an eagle at the par-5 eighth hole, Suffolk’s Lauren Doughtie notched a 9 and 8 victory over Katie Garahan (Rock Hill, S.C.) in the first match to score three points. Virginia-Maryland drew within one point (9½-8½) when Michelle Grilli (Lutherville, Md.) blanked Taylor Barrett (York, S.C.), and the hosts owned a one-point (11-10) lead after Barboursville’s Whitney Neuhauser recorded a 2½-½ win versus Brooke Goodwin (Fuquay-Varina, N.C.) in match three.

Virginia-Maryland didn’t win any of the final five contests of the day. For Carolinas, Amber Littman(Stoney Creek, N.C.), Ann Laney (Charlotte, N.C.) and Mallory Hetzel(Summerville, S.C.) supplied shutouts in the final trio of matches.

With the triumph, Carolinas took a 2-1-0 lead in the event’s all-time history. Virginia-Maryland won last year’s matches 8½-7½ at Pinewild Country Club in Pinehurst, N.C., to tie the series, 1-1 after Carolinas captured the inaugural matches, 9-7 at Independence Golf Club in 2002.

MIDLOTHIAN—Results following final round singles matches at the 3^rd Mid-Atlantic Girls’ Challenge at Independence Golf Club (6,036 yards, par 36-36—72) on Sunday, Aug. 8.

Lauren Doughtie (Suffolk, Va.) def. Katie Garahan (Rock Hill, S.C.), 3-0;

Michelle Grilli (Lutherville, Md.) def. Taylor Barrett (York, S.C.), 3-0;

Whitney Neuhauser (Barboursville, Va.) def. Brooke Goodwin (Fuquay-Varina,N.C.), 2½-½;

Sydney Crane (Jamestown, N.C.) def. Hunter Ross (Manakin-Sabot, Va.), 2½-½;

Christie Appleton (Chesapeake, Va.) tied Lauren Hunt (Little River, S.C.), 1½-1½;

Amber Littman (Stoney Creek, N.C.) def. Kim Daniels (Timonium, Md.), 3-0;

Ann Laney (Charlotte, N.C.) def. Chrissy Gonzalez (Patuxent River, Md.), 3-0;

Mallory Hetzel (Summerville, S.C.) def. Emily Paveisch (Glen Arm, Md.), 3-0

MIDLOTHIAN—Results from first round four-ball matches at the 3^rd Mid-Atlantic Girls’ Challenge at Independence Golf Club (6,036 yards, par 36-36—72) on Saturday, Aug. 7.

Katie Garahan (Rock Hill, S.C.)-Ann Laney (Charlotte, N.C.) def. Michelle Grilli (Lutherville, Md.)-Christie Appleton (Chesapeake, Va.), 3-0;

Taylor Barrett (York, S.C.)-Brooke Goodwin (Fuquay-Varina, N.C.) def. Emily Paveisch (Glen Arm, Md.)-Hunter Ross (Manakin-Sabot, Va.), 3-0;

Lauren Hunt (Little River, S.C.)-Amber Littman (Stoney Creek, N.C.) def. Chrissy Gonzalez (Patuxent River, Md.)-Lauren Doughtie (Suffolk, Va.), 3-0;

Kim Daniels (Timonium, Md.)-Whitney Neuhauser (Barboursville, Va.) def. Mallory Hetzel (Summerville, S.C.)-Sydney Crane (Jamestown, N.C.), 2½-½.

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