DADE CITY, Fla. – Claire Vermette's impressive senior season continues.
 
A fifth-year senior from St. Petersburg, Fla., Vermette used a 2-under 69 in Tuesday's final round of Western Kentucky's Spring Break Shootout to climb into a fifth-place tie and her fourth consecutive Top-10 finish. Her team also flourished on Tuesday, shooting a 287 and climbing into a tie for fifth in the 16-team event.
 
Vermette's 54-hole score of 215 on the par-71, 6,040 Lake Jovita Golf and Country Club was just five shots off of the lead in the 90-player field, while her final-round moved her eight spots up the leaderboard. It was the lowest score in the field on Tuesday and one of just seven rounds under par in the tournament's final round. 
 
"This tournament was a bit more of a fight, and it was rewarding to finish the way that I did," Vermette said. "It was especially nice to have my family there to support me. Hopefully by the next tournament, I'll have fine-tuned some of my areas that need improving, and I'll be ready to fully attack the golf course."

It was her seventh under-par round of the season and gives her seven rounds of par or better in her last three tournaments (nine rounds). She lowers her team-leading scoring average to 73.2, which is on pace to be the second-best scoring average in a season in school history. Her career scoring average drops to 74.54, third-best in program history.
  
The Gamecocks saved their best golf for Tuesday's final round, shooting the 3-over 287 that tied for the second- best round of the day. It came after rounds of 297 and 299 in Monday's first two rounds. They tied with Arkansas State and were just four shouts out of fourth. Host Western Kentucky won the tournament by six shots over Florida Gulf Coast.
 
"I'm really proud of the way we responded today," head coach Robbie Fields said. "It's great for our girls to see what we're capable of every time we tee it up. There was finally a sense of belief among our team today that we've been searching for which is a huge step for our young team."
 
The lone upperclassman on the Jax State roster, Vermette feasted on Lake Jovita's par-5 holes during the tournament. Over three rounds, she played 12 total par 5's and made eight birdies and four pars to play them at 8-under, four shots better than anyone else in the field. She shot rounds of 71 and 75 on Monday before her 69 in Tuesday's finale.
 
Sophomore Paula Perez Cubinas added a Top-20 finish to her season resume, using a final-round 74 to cap a 54-hole 221 that tied the Girona, Spain, native for 19^th in the tournament. She made seven birdies during the event and avoided any big numbers in any of her three rounds.
 
"Paula played very steady golf this week," Fields said. "Fifth-four holes without anything more than a bogey is impressive. I'm also proud of Claire's grit for another hard-earned top-5 finish." 
 
Freshman Anna Ymbern Quinoa tied for 35^th with a 226 after putting two very solid rounds together. The native of Saint Cugat Del Valles, Spain, opened the tournament with a 2-over 73 on Monday morning and shot a 1-over 72 on Tuesday to offset a second-round 81 on Tuesday afternoon.
 
She was one shot better than redshirt freshman Aaron Whitley, who tied for 37^th. A native of Osprey, Fla., Whitley saved her best for last in the tournament, shooting a 1-over 72 on Tuesday to tie her career-low round and climb 16 spots on the leaderboard.
 
Freshman Ebby Somers rounded out the Gamecocks' lineup just one shot behind Whitley with a 228 that tied her for 44^th. The native of Valdosta, Ga., opened her tournament with a 78 before carding back-to-back rounds of 75 to close.
 
The Gamecocks have just two more events remaining before the ASUN Championship in mid-April. They will play at the Georgia State Spring Invitational on March 27-28 at the Rivermont Golf Club in Johns Creek, Ga., before wrapping up the regular season on April 3-4 at East Carolina's Ironwood Invitational at the Ironwood Golf and Country Club in Greenville, N.C.
 
The ASUN Championship will be played from April 16-18 at Hampton Cove on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in Owens Cross Roads, Ala.