GREENWOOD, S.C. – Gardner-Webb fell to High Point in a tight battle, 3-2, in Saturday's Big South women's golf match play semifinals.

The two teams started on the 10th hole on the Links at Stoney Point Championship Course (6,293 yards, Par 72), with Gardner-Webb.

Linnea Hofgren won the first two holes in the first match and led by two at the turn. She heated up from there, winning five consecutive holes to lead by six and went on to a 6&5 win.

Neza Siftar was on fire early in the second match, winning each of the first five holes for an early lead. She saw that lead shrink to as few as two on the front nine before winning 3&2.

Sarah Kahn took a 5&4 win in the third match for High Point, going up by three after nine holes and winning the 13th and 14th holes to go up five.

The fourth match was tied seven times between Freja Ekman and Katelyn Griggs, with Griggs knotting the score on the 10th hole and 12th hole after the turn. Ekman broke the tie on the 14th hole and went on to a 2&1 win to even the team score.

The match came down to the final matchup of the day, which was tied 11 different times over 18 holes – and didn't see a lead of more than one throughout the day.

Gardner-Webb's Kayla Dowell won the 15th hole to go up by one late, but High Point's Ella Perna took the 16th and 17th hole to go up by one – and escaped with a 1UP win that allowed the Panthers to advance to the 1:45 championship match against Campbell.

The individual wins by Hofgren and Siftar continued their strong play for the week – as both also captured top-7 finishes during stroke play to help Gardner-Webb advance to Saturday's semifinals.

It was Gardner-Webb's second trip to the semifinals since Match Play started in 2021 and the program's fifth top-3 finish overall.

#2 High Point vs. #3 Gardner-Webb
Order of finish:
M1: Linnea Hofgren (GWU) defeats Ana-Elena Kusters (HPU), 6&5 (GWU leads 1-0)
M3: Sarah Kahn (HPU) defeats Georgia Barr (GWU), 5&4 (match tied 1-1)
M2: Neza Siftar (GWU) defeats Danielle Suh (HPU), 3&2 (GWU leads 2-1)
M4: Freja Ekman (HPU) defeats Katelyn Griggs (GWU), 2&1 (match tied 2-2)
M5: Ella Perne (HPU) defeats Kayla Dowell (GWU), 1UP (HPU wins 3-2)