HOMER, Ga. – The No. 16 University of North Georgia (UNG) women's golf team finished as the Runner-up behind No. 21 Lander in the 3rd Annual UNG Bracket Challenge held at Chimney Oaks Golf Club in Homer, Ga. on Tuesday.

After posting the second-best team score of the 36-hole seeding round, the Nighthawks earned a berth into the championship match of the unique medal match play tournament.

In medal match play, each team match consists of five points with one point being awarded for each individual match, or in the case of an individual match being tied, a half point being awarded.  

The first team to win three points within the team match is crowned the winner. The point in an individual match is awarded to the player with the lowest round in stroke play format.

On Tuesday, senior Ellie Rippee was the lone victorious Nighthawk among UNG's five medal matches. 

Rippee carded the lowest round of any Nighthawk as she finished with a 2-over 74 at the 6,106-yard, par-72 Chimney Oaks. She defeated Lander's Josefine Winkle by a whopping 12 strokes to earn the point for her team.

However, the Bearcats were able to come out with wins in the four other matches against the Nighthawks. They were aided by a pair of even-par 72s from Gracie McCoy and Sakurako Tanaka and a two-over 74 from Kasja Lindqvist to secure the victory and the program's first ever UNG Bracket Challenge title.

The third-place match was a thrilling contest that came down to the wire between third-seeded Eastern Florida State (EFSC) and fourth-seeded Columbus State.

The Cougars took an early 2-0 lead as Samantha Dewendt and Jenna Barnett won the first two matches. 

EFSC's Emma Parker battled back by shooting an 81 to earn the first point for the Titans. 

The #4 match between CSU's Andrea Peraza and EFSC's Ann Burel finished in a tie as both parties carded an 82. 

At 2.5-1.5 in the overall match, it came down to the final matchup between Sydney Himes from CSU and EFSC's Mila Tang. A win for Himes and the Cougars would have given them third place as the match would've been decided by a 2.5-2.5 tiebreaker that CSU would have won by one stroke. 

However, Tang defeated Himes by seven strokes as she finished with a 5-over 77 for the best round of the day for the Titans. 

For the Nighthawks, they now have their eyes set on the postseason. UNG will host the Peach Belt Conference Championship at Forest Hills Golf Club in Augusta, Ga. on April 18 - 20.