Cougars Advance at Mountain Classic Match Play After Tiebreaker Thriller
PALM DESERT, Calif. - Washington State Women’s Golf kicked off the Mountain Classic Match Play with a dramatic win on Monday, edging out Weber State in the opening round thanks to a tiebreaker that came down to margin of victory.
The Cougars got key wins from Kaitlyn Helm and Hannah Harrison, while Anya Cedo battled to a tie in her match. But it was Harrison’s dominant 6&5 victory that made the difference, giving WSU the edge in the tiebreaker after the overall team match ended tied. In match play, when teams split the total points, the deciding factor becomes the largest individual margin of victory - and Harrison delivered in a big way.
Grace Rubelsky and Agnes Brink each pushed their matches to the final hole but came up just short, dropping a pair of tightly contested duels. Still, the Cougars’ ability to grind out points - and Harrison’s emphatic win - proved enough to move them on to the semifinals.
Also making noise on Monday was Sara Pineros, who competed as an individual and picked up a solid 3&2 win over a Gonzaga opponent. While her match didn’t factor into WSU’s team score, it’s a strong start to the week for the Cougar freshman.
Next up, Washington State will take on Montana State in Tuesday’s semifinal round. The other side of the bracket features Utah Valley against Nevada, setting up what should be a competitive finish at The Classic Club.
Tournament Format & Course Details
The Mountain Classic Match Play is a head-to-head format where each golfer from one school faces off against a counterpart from another. The event is hosted at The Classic Club in Palm Desert, a par-72 course playing at 6,119 yards.
Coaches set their lineups before each round, and matches are played over 18 holes with no extra holes - tied matches result in a half-point for each team. In the case of a team tie, as was the case with WSU and Weber State, the team with the largest individual win margin advances.
Washington State’s Lineup:
- Kaitlyn Helm
- Hannah Harrison
- Grace Rubelsky
- Anya Cedo
- Agnes Brink
Individual: Sara Pineros
The Field
The eight-team field includes Washington State, co-hosts Wyoming and Boise State, along with Gonzaga, Montana State, Nevada, Utah Valley, and Weber State.
What’s Next
WSU now turns its attention to Montana State in Tuesday’s semifinals, with a chance to advance to the championship match. If the Cougars can carry the momentum - and keep getting big-time performances like Harrison’s - they’ll be a tough out the rest of the way.
Fans can follow live scoring and updates here, and stay connected with the team on social media at @WSUCougarWGolf on X and @WSUWomensGolf on Instagram.