Chessey Thomas (The Herald/Submitted Photo)

AJ Newell (The Herald/Submitted Photo)

Erica Popson (The Herald/Submitted Photo)

Nathalie Mansson (The Herald/Submitted Photo)

Sara Monberg (The Herald/Submitted Photo)

Par or better performances from three Lady Vols led the No. 14-ranked Tennessee golf team to a 2-under 286 final round score and a 19th-place finish at the 2012 NCAA Golf Championships on Friday.

The team’s fourth round total ties the best mark of the season previously scored in the first round of the Cougar Classic this fall. The Lady Vols tallied a 300-307-307-286=1200 to move three slots up the leader board on the Championships’ final day.

“They know they were better than they have been playing it was great to have a good round to end the season,” head coach Judi Pavon said. “They had pride in themselves and played the kind of golf they are capable of playing.”

Sophomore Chessey Thomas played a clean round Friday, carding her round of 70 at the par-72 Vanderbilt Legends Club Course without recording a bogey. The Spokane, Wash., native made par on her first seven holes before birdieing holes 17 and 18. Making the turn at two under, Thomas finished out the round by shooting par on every hole of her second nine and was Tennessee’s top finisher at the national championship with a 76-78-74-70=298 (+10) mark and a share of 45th place.

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