Irvine, CA - Viking Lauren Taylor hung on to win medalist honors at the Folino Invitational on Tuesday, becoming the first freshman in school history to capture a golf tournament title. Taylor shot an even-par 70-74=144 to win the tournament played at Oak Creek Golf Club.

The Viking team held the overnight lead by three shots, but dropped to third place on Tuesday shooting a team score of 308. Both Long Beach State (first) and UC Irvine (second) shot 300 on Tuesday, passing the Vikings. LBS finished at 306-300=606. UCI was 310-300=610. The Vikings were 303-308=611.

However, Taylor was the story for the Vikings. On Monday, she had three birdies and one bogey in taking the first-round lead with a two-under par 70. The freshman from Nelson, BC had three birdies and five bogeys on Tuesday for a two-over 74. Her 144 total gave Taylor a relatively easy four-stroke win over Patty Chawakitmetha of UC Irvine and Simone Hoey of Long Beach State. Each shot 72-76=148 for the tournament.

Taylor also tied a school record by shooting an even-par score for a 36-hole tournament. It has been accomplished just once before, by Rebecca Randolph who shot 72-72=144 at the Bobcat Desert Classic on Mar. 2-3, 2003.

The eight-team tournament, hosted by Cal State Fullerton, was played at Oak Creek Golf Club, a par-72, 6,238-yard course.

Making two birdies and a two bogeys on Tuesday, sophomore Britney Yada had the round of the day for the Vikings, shooting an even-par 72. Yada finished at five-over 149 for the event to tie for fourth. Yada has five straight top-10s.

Senior Alexia Brown posted 76-82=158, dropping from a tie for seventh to 15th on day two.

Senior Kalyn Dodge shot 80-80=160 over the two days. She placed in a tie for 21st overall.

Junior Tiffany Schoning shot 82-83=165 and placed 33rd among the 45 players in the tournament.

Freshman Loren Forney, playing as an individual this week, recorded a 95-87=182 and placed 44th.

TAP-INS: PSU has a second-place finish, three thirds and two fourths this season… the last Viking to win an individual title was Tiffany Schoning, who captured the Turtle Bay Collegiate Invitational on Nov. 4, 2010. Viking players have won individual tournament titles eight times since the 2000-01 season. This is the second time that two Vikings won an individual title in the same season (2007-08: Kayla Morinaga, Hannah Bews)… Lauren Taylor's first-round 70 is the fourth under-par round of the season by a Viking and ties for 11th best in school history… Britney Yada's 149 total ties for ninth-best 36-hole score in school history. She has a 76.62 scoring average this year… Tiffany Schoning leads the team with a 76.52 scoring average… PSU is now 59-21-1 in head-to-head scoring this year, 13-1 against Big Sky Conference schools... PSU's 611 total for 36 holes ties for third-best in school history. It was PSU's first 36-hole tournament in two years.

The Folino Invitational
hosted by Cal State Fullerton
Oak Creek Golf Club, Irvine, CA
Mar. 21-22, 2011
par 72, 6,238 yards
8 teams/45 players

Team Scores (Golfstat ranking)
1. Long Beach State (72), 306-300=606
2. UC Irvine (93), 310-300=610
3. Portland State (81), 303-308=611
4. Cal Poly (131), 314-321=635
5. Cal State Fullerton (169), 318-320=638
6. Sacramento State (160), 329-314=643
7. Cal State Northridge (119), 328-320=648
8. UC Riverside (136), 334-321=655

Individual Scores
1. Lauren Taylor, Portland State, 70-74=144
t2. Patty Chawalitmetha, UC Irvine, 72-76=148
t2. Simone Hoey, Long Beach State, 72-76=148
t4. Britney Yada, Portland State, 77-72=149
t4. Samantha Saffold, Sacramento State, 72-77=149
6. Reina Rogers, Long Beach State, 80-70=150
7. Lalita Patipaksiri, UC Irvine, 77-75=152
t8. Asia Adell, Cal Poly, 74-79-153
t8. Michelle Park, UC Irvine, 78-75=153
t8. Monica Villareal, Long Beach State, 78-75=153

Portland State Scores
1. Lauren Taylor, 70-74=144
t4. Britney Yada, 77-72=149
t15. Alexia Brown, 76-82=158
t21. Kalyn Dodge, 80-80=160
33. Tiffany Schoning, 82-83=165
44. Loren Forney (individual), 95-87=182

Portland State's All-Time Tournament Medalists
2000-01    Taya Battistella, Big Sky Championship
2002-03    Taya Battistella, Big Sky Championship
2003-04    Rebecca Randolph, Bronco Fall Classic
2007-08    Kayla Morinaga, Heather Farr/Colorado Memorial; Hannah Bews, Big Sky Championship
2008-09    Stephanie Johns, Bulldog and Eagle Invitational
2010-11    Tiffany Schoning, OSU/Washington Triangle (1 round); Tiffany Schoning, Turtle Bay Collegiate Invitational; Lauren Taylor, Folino Invitational

Feature Story (2/18/11): Lauren Taylor Makes Adjustment To Full-Time Golfer And College