Fernandina Beach, Fla. – Stetson junior Hanna Kiefer knows all too well the anguish of owning the lead in a tournament going into the final round of play, only to have that lead slip away.
 
You'll have to forgive her if she has no sympathy for FGCU freshman Haley Yerxa.
 
Kiefer battled back from three shots off the lead on Tuesday at the JU Amelia Island Collegiate, to force a playoff with Yerxa. After both players bogeyed the par four 18^th hole, with Yerxa battling back after hitting her tee shot in the water, Kiefer sank a par putt the second time around to capture medalist honors.
 
Kiefer finished the tournament with a five-under par score of 211, her career best. Her tie for first is her best finish since letting the 36-hole lead slip away at the 2018 USA Intercollegiate in Mobile, Ala., where she tied for sixth with a two-under par 214 after a final round 78.
 
On Tuesday, Kiefer wobbled with three bogeys on the front nine as she played head-to-head with Yerxa and UNF's Lissette Davalos. Consecutive birdies on the fifth and sixth holes got her to within one shot of the lead. Both players bogeyed the seventh hole and then Kiefer carded another bogey on the eighth to make the turn two shots off the lead.
 
Both players made par on the first five holes on the back before reaching the par 5 15th, where Kiefer made her move with a birdie while Yerxa made bogey to leave the pair tied with three holes to play. Both bogeyed 17 and made par on 18 to force the playoff.
 
In addition to the drama for medalist honors, there was also drama at the top of the team leaderboard. The Hatters were unable to make up ground on the Eagles at the top of the field, but UNF made a strong run at FGCU, falling just one shot shy as the result of a bogey by Daniela Gonzalez on the final hole.
 
FGCU got a strong performance from Sarah Edwards, whose final round 68 left her tied for third with UNF's Mindy Herrick, who posted the low round of the day with a 67, a round that included an Eagle on the 15^th hole.
 
Stetson posted a final round team score of 295. None of the Hatters were able to break par on the day with Kiefer, Bianca Sol Cruz and Erikah Neger each posting scores of 73. Junior Sarah May closed with a 76 while senior Justine Lauer finished with a 78.
 
The Hatters did continue their run of top five finishes, which has now reached six straight events.
 
The Stetson team will return to action in two weeks when they travel to Kiawah Island, SC, to take part in the largest annual golf tournament in the nation. The Kiawah Island Intercollegiate is played on two courses over three days and includes more than 40 teams each year.
 
The Hatters finished 12^th out of 49 teams in the event last spring and has not earned a top five finish in the event since 2015, finishing third that year. The Kiawah Island Intercollegiate is scheduled to be played March 1-3 this year.
 
About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program has a vision of developing a culture of champions athletically, academically and within the community. This vision is accomplished through a mission of recruiting and developing student-athletes, coaches and staff, creating a culture of champions, within and outside of competition. The department operates with five core values: Championship Culture, Integrity, Excellence, Pride/Tradition and Leadership. To learn more about the Vision, Mission and Core Values for Stetson Athletics, visit GoHatters.com and click on Mission Statement under the Inside Athletics tab.