The national championship match-up between the top two teams in the nation so many were anticipating didn't come to be after all, thanks to Brianna Navarossa and the USC Trojans.
Second-ranked Wake Forest did its part, rolling to wins over Florida State (3-1) and Texas A&M (3-0) to reach Wednesday's championship match, where the Demon Deacons will face USC, which upset top-ranked Stanford by the same score to advance to the final.
A senior-laden Wake Forest team will be looking for its first-ever national championship against USC, which has been crowned national champions on three occasions, last in 2013 This is the first time the Trojans will be appearing in the final match since the new format began in 2015..
The championship match will tee off at 1:35 p.m. CT time with live coverage on the Golf Channel beginning at 2:00 p.m. CT.
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Semifinal Recaps
No. 5 USC d. No. 1 Stanford, 3-1
After downing South Carolina in the quarterfinals, USC carried its momentum to the afternoon and its semifinal match with top-ranked and Pac-12 rival Stanford. With Brianna Navarossa racing out to an early lead over two-time NCAA individual champion Rose Zhang, the Trojans had the Cardinal on its heels all afternoon. It was an uphill climb all afternoon for Zhang after she lost the first hole with a double bogey. Navarossa built a 3 up after nine holes and Zhang was only able to close to within two before the USC junior closed out the match on the 17th hole. Head coach Justin Silverstein inserted Crystal Wang into the lineup for the afternoon and the junior responded nicely with a 2&1 win over Brooke Seay.
Results
Kelly Xu (STN) d. Catherine Park, 1 up
Cynthia Kou (USC) d. Megha Ganne, 2&1
Crystal Wang (USC) d. Brooke Seay, 2&1
Sadie Englemann (STN) led Amari Avery, 1 up through 17
Brianna Navarossa (USC) d. Rose Zhang, 2&1
Quotable: "That might've been the least amount of fun I've ever had on a golf course. That back-9. That was an amazing day. I'm so proud of our group. Christine Wang who we've subbed in, subbed out and subbed back in today get's a win against Brook Seay who's a really good player. Brianna (Navarrosa) holds off the greatest amateur golfer of all time (Rose Zhang) and then Cindy Kou goes out and puts up a great round, three-up down to even, and then closes out the match on 17. I'm so proud of this group, this is a long day, everyone told me how tiring this day was, now I believe them so now we have to get this group some rest and come back tomorrow."
USC head coach Justin Silverstein
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Wake Forest d. Texas A&M, 3-0-0
Behind wins by Emilia Migliaccio, Mimi Rhodes and Rachel Kuehn, the Demon Deacons secured a spot by rolling past Texas A&M. Head coach Kim Lewellen bookended two All-Americans in seniors Emilia Migliaccio and Rachel Kuehn and both responded with victories, leaving Mimi Rhodes to deliver the deciding point with a 1 up win over Blanca Fernandez Garcia-Poggio.
Results
Emilia Migliaccio (WF) d. Zoe Slaughter, 2&1
Carolina Lopez-Chacarra (WF) vs. Jennie Park, AS through 17
Mimi Rhodes (WF) d. B . Fernandez Garcia-Poggio (A&M), 1 up
Lauren Walsh (WF) vs. Adele Cernousek, AS through 17
Rachel Kuehn (WF) d. Hailee Cooper, 4&3
Quotable: "First of all they're an unbelievable group of ladies that work incredibly hard, and we'll come back from a tournament and the next day is their day off, they don't take days off. They wanted this from last year, the year before and they work hard, they come together and we're fortunate that we have a lot of veterans, we have a lot of players who have played a lot of high level golf, Curtis cups, Arnold Palmer Cups, U.S Opens so this is a group of ladies who've played at a high level. So to get here, with this opportunity, tomorrow is a coach's dream."
Wake Forest head coach Kim Lewellen
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Quarterfinal Recaps
No. 1 Stanford d. No. 8 Pepperdine, 3-1
Stanford had its hands full before dispatching the Waves to reach the semifinals. Rose Zhang went out first for the Cardinal and made quick work of Reese Guzman, winning six of the first 13 holes en route to a 6&5 victory. Sadie Engleman and Kaleiya Romero were tied through 15 holes before the Stanford junior birdied holes 16 and 17 to close out the match, 2&1. Freshman Kelly Xu defeated Lion Higo on the 18th hole with a par after Higo found trouble off the tee. Jeneath Wong routed Megha Ganne to account for the only point for the Waves.
Results
Rose Zhang (STN) d. Reese Guzman, 6&5
Sadie Englemann (STN) d. Kaleiya Romero, 2&1
Jeneath Wong (PEP) d. Megha Ganne, 5&3
Kelly Xu (STN) d. Lion Higo, 1 up
Brooke Seay (STN) led Lauren Gomez, 1 up through 17
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No. 7 Texas A&M d. No. 2 Texas, 3&1
In a battle between two old rivals, Texas A&M advanced to the semifinals for the second straight season with a 3&1 win over the Longhorns. With the Aggies leading 2-1, Adela Cernousek went 1 up in her match against Bohyun Park on the 15th hole and carried the lead all the way to the final hole where her two-putt par clinched the match for the Aggies.
Results
Zoe Slaughter (A&M) d. Cindy Hsu, 3&2
Sophia Guo (TEX) d. Jennie Park, 2&1
B . Fernandez Garcia-Poggio (A&M) d. Angela Heo, 1 up
Adele Carnousek (A&M) d. Bohyun Park, 1 up
Hailee Cooper (A&M) led Bentley Cotton, 1 up through 17
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No. 3 Wake Forest d. No. 6 Florida State, 3&1
After dropping the first match out, Carolina Lopez-Chacarra and Mimi Rhodes gave Wake Forest a 2-1 lead and senior Rachel Kuehn provided the winning point by defeating Amelia Williamson on the 20th hole. Williamson was dormie on the 16th tee box but won the last three holes to extend the match. After the players halved the 19th hole, Kuehn closed out the match with a par on the 20th hole.
Results
Kaylah Williams (FSU) d. Emilia Migliaccio, 3&1
Carolina Lopez-Chacarra (WF) d. Lottie Woad, 2&1
Mimi Rhodes (WF) d. Alice Hodge, 1 up
Rachel Kuehn (WF) d. Amelia Williamson, 20 holes
Charlotte Heath (FSU) vs. Lauren Walsh (WF), tie
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No. 5 USC d. No. 4 South Carolina, 3&1
Wins from junior Brianna Navarrosa, sophomore Xin (Cindy) Kou and freshman Catherine Park lifted the Pac-12 Champions to a come-from-behind win over South Carolina. The Gamecocks held slim leads in three matches during the first nine before the Trojans flipped the match. Park won her match 3&2 over Mia Lussand while Kou claimed hers with a 2&1 win over Justine Fournand as both South Carolina golfers missed putts to extend their matches. Brianna Navarossa sent the Trojans to the semifinals for the first time since 2018 by closing out Louise Rydqvist on the 17th hole.
Results
Mathilda Claisse (SC) d. Malia Nam, 6&5
Cindy Kou (USC) d. Justine Fournand, 3&2
Catherine Park (USC) d. Mia Lussand, 2&1
Brianna Navarrosa (USC) d. Louise Rydqvist, 2&1
Amari Avery (USC) led Hannah Darling, 2 up through 17