SAVANNAH, Ga. – Junior Jalea Culliver fired a one-under par 71 in the final round of the Lady Tiger Spring Invitational to win individual medalist honors and pace the North Carolina Central University women's golf team to the team victory.
 
NC Central defeated second-place University of Maryland Eastern Shore by 46 strokes and tournament host Savannah State University by 49 shots for the team triumph.
 
As the Lady Tiger Spring Invitational champions, the Eagles collected their first multi-team tournament winning trophy in program history on Monday. NCCU is in its second season and did win one head-to-head competition last year.
 
The two-day competition was contested on two different courses. Sunday's opening round on the Deer Creek Course at The Landings Golf & Athletic Club was shortened to nine holes due to rain and the Eagles soared out to the overnight lead with all four counting scores being within two shots of each other the 2,960-yard, par-36 layout.
 
Culliver and the Eagles then pulled away on another difficult scoring day, this time at The Crosswinds Golf Club. NCCU had its best 18-hole team score of the spring (324) to increase its final margin of victory over the Hawks and Lady Tigers.
 
Culliver recorded her lowest collegiate round with a one-under par 71 on the Crosswinds course that measured at 6,131 yards to finish the tournament with a 27-hole total of five-over par 113. Culliver clinched her first collegiate medalist honors six shots clear of the second-place golfer, a 119 tallied by UMES freshman Veronica Chen, with consistent play that included tournament best totals of four birdies and 17 pars.
 
The 71 posted by Culliver was NCCU's second lowest 18-hole scorecard signed in competition for the young program. The maroon and gray record is a 70 turned in by Natasha Ainsley-Thomas at the PGA WORKS Collegiate Championship last season.
 
Sisters Sidney Renville and Olivia Renville both supplied top-5 finishes for the Eagles. Freshman Sidney Renville was the tournament leader with Sunday's low round of 40, but settled for third place with her 12-over par total of 120. Junior Olivia Renville matched her sister with an 80 in Monday's final round and she took secured fourth overall with a sum of 122. They both circled three birdies on over their 27 holes played in Savannah.
 
Sophomore Zoe Key matched Culliver and Olivia Renville with a nine-hole score of 42 on Sunday on the way to cracking the top-10 in ninth place. Redshirt senior Renaissance Baker provided a counting round for the Eagles on Monday as all five NCCU golfer factored in NCCU's winning team score.
 
NCCU is currently scheduled to next play in its first NEC Women's Golf Championship at LPGA International in Daytona Beach, Florida, on Sunday-Tuesday, April 23-25.
 
For more information on NCCU Athletics, visit NCCUEaglePride.com, or download the NCCU Eagles Athletics app.
 
NCCU Individual Results (15 Golfers)
1. Jalea Culliver (42-71—113)
3. Sidney Renville (40-80—120)
4. Olivia Renville (42-80—122)
9. Zoe Key (42-95—137)
11. Renaissance Baker (53-94—147)