Kahuku, HI - Viking junior Tiffany Schoning shot a three-under par 69 in the final round of the Turtle Bay Collegiate Invitational to come from behind and win the individual title. Schoning started the day tied for sixth, but shot the best round in the field by three shots on Thursday and finished 73-76-69=218, winning by two strokes.

Schoning's performance led the Viking team to a second place finish in the 54-hole event at Turtle Bay Resort. PSU's 299-304-297=900 score was just three shots behind the winner, Princeton, at 897.

With a five-birdie round, Schoning becomes the first Viking golfer to win an individual title in a full field tournament since Sept. 22-23, 2008 when Stephanie Johns won the Bulldog and Eagle Invitational with a nine-over par 225.

Schoning's 218 total also ties for third-best 54-hole in school history. Her single-round 69 matches her career-best, posted in the second round of the Circling Raven Invitational in September. It also ties for the second-best round in PSU school history.

The Viking team posted the third-best 54-hole score in school history with 900. Trailing Portland State was Brigham Young at 905 and UC Irvine at 907 among the seven-team field.

Senior Kalyn Dodge also came in with a personal-best performance on the week, carding 74-72-76=222. Dodge placed third overall, four shots behind Schoning. Her second-round, even-par 72 was a career-best at PSU, and the 222 total also matched her 54-hole career best. Both of those scores came in September at the Rose City Collegiate Invitational.

The Vikings finished with three players in the top seven as Britney Yada put together a steady 75-75-75=225 performance over three days. She had four birdies on Thursday and placed in a tie for seventh overall.

Senior Alexia Brown shot 77 in the final round and finished tied for 21st with 77-81-77=235.

Freshman Loren Forney finished in 38th place with 85-87-89=261.

CHIP SHOTS: With the fall season completed, Schoning has a 74.76 scoring average, which is a school record pace… the Vikings have a 304.69 team scoring average, also a school record pace… Portland State now has five sub-300 rounds this season (in 13 rounds). The school record for sub-300 rounds is six in 32 rounds in 2003-04… Portland State entered the tournament ranked 111th out of 254 Division I programs in the country. The Vikings, in bettering BYU and UC Irvine, are now 5-10 in head-to-head scoring against teams ranked in the top 100. BYU was the highest ranked team in the tournament at 62nd. Princeton was ranked 84th; UC Irvine was ranked 93rd… the first two rounds were played on the Arnold Palmer Course at Turtle Bay, a par 72, 6,196-yard course. The George Fazio Course is a par 72, 6,142-yard course… PSU returns to play next on Feb. 14-15, 2011 at The Gold Rush, hosted by Long Beach State in Yorba Linda, CA.

Turtle Bay Collegiate Invitational
@ Turtle Bay Resort, Kahuku, HI
Arnold Palmer Course, par 72, 6,196 yards (rounds 1 and 2)
George Fazio Course, par 72, 6,142 yards (round 3)
7 teams/41 players

Team Scores
1. Princeton, 290-301-306=897
2. Portland State, 299-304-297=900
3. Brigham Young, 294-311-300=905
4. UC Irvine, 297-306-306=909
5. Southern Illinois, 307-314-307=928
6. Hawai'i, 310-312-314=936
7. British Columbia, 314-319-316=949

Top 10 Players
1. Tiffany Schoning, Portland State, 73-76-69=218
2. Ronnie Valerio, UC Irvine, 73-74-73=220
3. Kalyn Dodge, Portland State, 74-72-76=222
4. Kelly Shon, Princeton, 69-75-79=223
t5. Kaili Britos, Hawai'i, 72-76-76=224
t6. Maggie Yuan, Brigham Young, 74-76-74=224
t7. Michelle Park, UC Irvine, 70-75-80=225
t7. Britney Yada, Portland State, 75-75-75=225
t7. Kelsey Vines, Brigham Young, 71-79-75=225
t10. four tied at 226

Portland State Players
1. Tiffany Schoning, 73-76-69=218
3. Kalyn Dodge, 74-72-76=222
t7. Britney Yada, 75-75-75=225
t21. Alexia Brown, 77-81-77=235
t38. Loren Forney, 85-87-89=261