LAS VEGAS – The UBC Okanagan Heat women's golf team battled to a third-place finish at their first spring tournament of the season, The Trailblazer, hosted by the Oklahoma City Stars at Bear's Best and TPC Summerlin golf courses.
 
With multiple players fighting flu symptoms and injury, the team grinded their way to a two-round score of 61-over par 637, finishing 10 strokes behind the Embry-Riddle Eagles, the 21^st-ranked team in the NAIA.
 
The host OCU Stars finished second in the 12-team tournament at 53-over par 629.
 
Leading the way for the Heat was second-year Julia Alexander-Carew who posted consecutive rounds of four-over par 76 to finish at eight-over par 152 as she earned a second-place finish in the individual standings.
 
Bess Chan also snagged a Top 10 individual finish as she tied for seventh after shooting 13-over par 157.
 
With the result, the Heat have now finished inside the Top 3 at all five tournaments they've competed at this season.
 
UBCO will look to keep the streak going next week when they travel back to Nevada for the RMC Intercollegiate at Lake Las Vegas in Henderson. The first round gets underway on Tuesday, March 4 from Reflection Bay Golf Club.
 
TEAM STANDINGS
1. Embry-Riddle – 627 (+51)
2. OCU – 629 (+53)
3. UBCO Heat – 637 (+61)
4. Hope International – 638 (+62)
5. Arizona Christian – 656 (+80)
6. OUAZ – 657 (+81)
T7. Morningside – 670 (+94)
T7. Lewis-Clark State – 670 (+94)
9. OLLU – 681 (+105)
10. SMWC – 737 (+161)
11. Lincoln – 769 (+193)
12. Benedictine-Mesa – 984 (+408)
 
HEAT INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS
2. Julia Alexander-Carew – 152 (+8)
T7. Bess Chan – 157 (+13)
24. Lauren Nedo – 164 (+20)
T25. Emily Cornwall – 165 (+21)
T29. Eva Hogue – 167 (+23)