DADE CITY, Fla. – The 24^th-ranked Florida Southern women's golf team battled back to take home a fourth-place finish at the 2022 Saint Leo Invitational hosted at Lake Jovita Golf and Country Club where the Moccasins jumped two spots over the final 18 holes with a tournament-low 284 (-4), which is the team record for a single round. The 12-team field had to conclude round two Tuesday morning before finishing the third round where the Mocs capitalized on the rest to fire a four-under for the final round, finishing at 878 (+14), a stroke off third place.
 
Graduate student Loren Perez pushed the Mocs and finished tied for fourth herself after a final round one-under 71. The Bartow, Fla. native finished at 214 (-2) after rounds of 69 (-3), 74 (+2), and 71 (-1). Perez tied for the field lead in eagles having one in round one Monday while she was tied for first in birdies with 14 on the tournament, pairing that with 28 pars.
 
Graduate student Elizabeth Harding soared 10 spots in the individual standings after a final round two-under 70. Harding, a native of South Lyon, Mich., paired her final round 70 with her first round 77 (+5) and second round 74 (+2) to finish at five-over 221 for the tournament and in the top-20 at 19^th place. Harding led the field in parrs with 39 over her 54-holes.
 
Freshman Megan Hertter fired off a team-low 69 (-3) for the final round to finish tied for 22^nd place, up 14 spots from the second round. A native of Benton, Ky., finished at six-over 222 with rounds of 75 (+3), 78 (+6) and a 69 (-3). Hertter turned in a clean round three with three birdies and 15 pars, and no bogeys or worse.
 
Senior Lacey Tucker was the fourth Moc to finish in the top half of the field, finishing in tied for 30^th at 225 (+9) following a final round 74 (+2). Tucker, a Jacksonville, Fla. native, shot rounds of 75 (+3), 76 (+4), and her final round 74. Tucker and Hertter tied for second-best on the team in the number of pars with 33 for the tournament.
 
Freshman Taylor Zachary rounded out the Mocs' starting-five with a 46^th place finish at 231 (+15). The Land O' Lakes, Fla. native carded a final round 76 (+4) to add to her first round 81 (+9) and second round 74 (+2).
 
Five other Moccasins were in the field where sophomore's Marissa Cardenas and Gabriela Shortridge and freshman Shelby Moore completed the 54-hole event. 
 
Cardenas finished tied for 59^th at 239 (+23) while Shortridge was tied for 68^th at 249 (+33) and Moore in 73^rd at 299 (+83).
 
Lynn's Sara Ericsson took home the medalist honors after a final round 69 (-3) pushed her ahead by a stroke and final 209 (-7). No. 8 Anderson (SC) held on to a one-stroke advantage to win the tournament, clinching a stroke win over No. 5 Lynn, 859 (-5) to 860 (-4).
 
4^th – Florida Southern – 296-298-284 – 878 (+14)
T4 – Loren Perez – 69-74-71 – 214 (-2)
T19 – Elizabeth Harding – 77-74-70 – 221 (+5)
T22 – Megan Hertter – 75-78-69 – 222 (+6)
T30 – Lacey Tucker – 75-76-74 – 225 (+9)
T46 – Taylor Zachary – 81-74-76 – 231 (+15)
iT59 – Marissa Cardenas – 77-80-82 – 239 (+23)
iT68 – Gabriela Shortridge – 84-84-81 – 249 (+33)
i73 – Shelby Moore – 104-96-99 – 299 (+83)
i74 – Margaux Bonafe – WD
i75 – Abigail Stetz - WD
 
Florida Southern returns to action on Oct. 31-Nov. 1 to close the fall season at the Rollins Legends Invitational at Bradenton Country Club.