In a tough field featuring a mix of NCAA and NAIA schools, the CSUSM Women's golf team placed 8th overall in the Grand Canyon Invitational, following up their first round of 316 on Monday with a 314 final round for a total score of 630. It was a solid performance for the Cougars, who finished just 5 strokes back of last year's #2 team Cal Baptist, and 5 strokes better than their round of 635 on the same course last fall.

Individually, Lisa Copeland impressed once again, firing a final round of 75 after her even par 72 on Monday, leaving her +3 (147) on the Tournament and tied for 4th place overall. Copeland improved her total score by 24 strokes from a year ago, a hopeful sign of good things to come in 2011 for the prodigious sophomore.

Tess Russell took a couple strokes off her Monday score (80-77, 157), and Vanessa Chap once again shot under 80 for the round (79-79, 158) to help pace the Cougars, taking 29th and 36th overall respectively. Cora McClung (87-83, 170) and Felicia Titus (85-86, 171) rounded out the scoring for the Cougars.

The Cougars compete next weekend at the Embry Riddle Fall Invitational in Prescott, AZ.