KNOXVILLE, Tenn. | Mercedes Aldana and Lillian Buehle each recorded Top-10 finishes Tuesday as South Alabama recorded a sixth-place finish at the 29th Mercedes-Benz Collegiate Championship hosted by Tennessee at the Cherokee Country Club.

Aldana fired a career-low three-round, five-under par 208 (68-71-69) to tie for fifth, while Buehle moved up 16 spots in the final round with a three-under 68 to finish at one-under for the tournament with a three-round 212 to tie with four other players for 10th. 

South Alabama finished sixth among the 15-team field and fired a three-round 861 (286-291-284). The 861 was the fourth-lowest, 54-hole score at an event in program history.

Host Tennessee ran away from the field with a three-round, 21-under par 831, 11 strokes better than second-place Baylor (842).

TOURNAMENT INFORMATION
Event (host): 29th Mercedes-Benz Collegiate Championship (Tennessee)
Course: Cherokee Country Club (Donald Ross Golf Course)

TEAM SCORES
(1) Tennessee 280-273-278—831 (-20); (2) Baylor 276-284-282—842 (-10); (3) High Point 273-288-287—848 (-4); (4) South Florida 280-287-283—850 (-2); (5) East Carolina 286-287-278—851 (-1); (6) South Alabama 286-291-284—861 (+9); (7) Abilene Christian 290-296-281—867 (+15); (8) East Tennessee State 293-290-286—869 (+17); (9) Florida International 292-290-293—875 (+23); (10) Campbell 295-296-291—882 (+30); (11) Eastern Kentucky 301-288-305—894 (+42); (12) Western Kentucky 297-304-303—904 (+52); (13) Kennesaw State 298-301-307—906 (+54); (14) Charleston Southern 310-301-297—908 (+56); (15) Chattanooga 309-310-309—928 (+76)

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
(t-1) Makayla Grubb (High Point) 66-68-67—201 (-12); (t-1) Madison Messimer (Tennessee) 67-69-65—201 (-12); (3) Jillian Fatkin (USF) 73-67-66—206 (-7); (4) Laura Nepper (USF) 68-71-68—207 (-6); (t-5) Paloma Ibarra Ambia* (Baylor) 68-70-70—208 (-5); (t-5) Mercedes Aldana (South Alabama) 68-71-69—208 (-5); (t-5) Bridget Boczar (Baylor) 68-72-68—208 (-5); (8) Sophie Christopher (Tennessee) 70-71-68—209 (-4); (9) Kyra Van Kan (Tennessee) 73-66-72—211 (-2); (t-10) Lilian Buehle (South Alabama) 72-72-68—212 (-1); (t-10) Sophia Ellestad (Baylor) 71-68-73—212 (-1); (t-10) Yurang Li (Baylor) 69-72-71—212 (-1); (t-10) Sofie Nooij (Baylor) 72-71-69—212 (-1); (t-10) 

SOUTH ALABAMA SCORES
(t-5) Mercedes Aldana 68-71-69—208; (t-10) Lilian Buehle 72-72-68—212 (-1); (t-40) Rebekka Stutley 72-74-74—220 (+7); (t-42) Katelyn Foster 74-74-73—221 (+8); (t-61) Léa Giron 78-76-75—229 (+16)

UP NEXT
South Alabama will make the quick turnaround and compete next weekend at the Evie Odom Invitational (Oct. 9-11) hosted by Old Dominion at Princess Anne Country Club in Norfolk, Va. 

NOTES
•    South Alabama three-round 861 marked the fourth-lowest total for a tournament in program history and was the lowest since carding an 858 at the Pat Bradley Invitational (9/30-10/1/24)
•    Aldana's first-round 68 marked a new career low for the junior and was her second career round under 70
•    After beginning the opening round plus-1 after her first four holes, Aldana was four-under over her final 14 of the round, including three-under on the front nine
•    The first-round 68 also marked the seventh time in Aldana's career in which she has been under par, including three in the opening round of play
•    The 68 also tied for fourth-lowest score in the opening round of a tournament and was the lowest first-round score by a Jag since Katharina Schroll's 68 at the 2024 Pat Bradley Invitational
•    Aldana's three-round 208 also set a new career best for the junior, besting her previous low of 211, set at Sea Best Intercollegiate (1/27-28/25)
•    Buehle's final-round 68 marked the sophomore's third, career round under 70, and was a new career-low for a single round
•    Aldana was tied for fourth in both par 4 (3.90) and par 5 (4.60) scoring among the field
•    Aldana's 12 birdies were also tied for sixth-most at the event
•    Buehle's three-round 212 was one stroke off of matching a career-low

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