Taking on 12 top-25 teams at the Moon Golf Invitational, NC State women’s golf struggled versus some of the nation’s best, placing 15th in a field of 17 teams.

The main theme that played out in the fall remained in the spring, as star sophomore Marie Eline Madsen showed out against a stacked individual field, while the next highest Wolfpack finisher was a good margin behind. Senior Vania Simont was the next best, finishing in a tie for 63rd with a score of 12-over-par.

Placing in a tie for 13th at 2-over-par, Madsen secured her fifth top-15 finish of the season out of six events. Despite a disastrous 5-over Round 2, she battled back in the final round with a 3-under mark to close out the 54-hole tournament near the top. The average gap between her and the next highest finisher this season is 21, and she has only placed behind a teammate once so far.

Simont is that one Wolfpack player to have beat Madsen this season — doing it in late October at the Landfall Tradition — but at the Moon Golf Invitational, she could not match her teammate’s level. Though Simont did get off to a hot start on her first nine, sitting at 1-under, her round deteriorated with a 43 on the back nine, and she never recovered.

The rest of the NC State lineup was grouped towards the bottom, not helping the team’s cause as the Pack finished 52 strokes behind No. 8 Auburn, who came out victorious. Freshman Ellie Hildreth finished in a tie for 74th at 15-over, while junior Lea Ludwig finished tied for 87th at 23-over. Rounding things out, freshman Lindsay McGrath finished 89th at 28-over.

Facing off against No. 5 Florida, No. 6 Texas A&M, No. 7 Wake Forest, No. 8 Auburn, No. 9 Texas, No. 13 Duke, No. 14 Ole Miss, No 15 UCF, No. 16 Mississippi State, No. 18 South Carolina, No. 22 Tennessee and No. 24 Florida State, the Pack had its work cut out.

With three regular season events remaining, NC State needs to find another gear if it has any NCAA Tournament aspirations. But on an individual level, it is clear that Madsen will once again be a contender on the national stage, picking up where she left off in her freshman campaign where she at one point led at the NCAA Championship.

Next up, the Pack takes to Charleston, South Carolina for the Daniel Island Invitational March 2-3.