DOWNEY, Calif. – Dominican women's golf finished strong with four players stepping up on the back half of the round to move into a sixth-place finish at the LA Spring Kickoff on Tuesday at Rio Hondo Golf Club. 

No. 50 Point Loma ran away with the team title after finishing at 2 over with Cal State Monterey Bay in second at 20 over par. The Penguins performed well topping No. 45 Hawai'i Hilo by four strokes and No. 39 Western Washington by nine strokes.

Avery Kraatz got off to a strong start finishing with a 4-over 76 to lead her team in Monday's first round. She was even better that afternoon as she started her round with a clean back nine with one birdie, and then adding an eagle on three with a birdie on four to end the day even par in the round. Kraatz had a strong finish in Tuesday's final round posting a birdie and nine pars over her final 10 holes to help Dominican pass the Vulcans on the team board while she finished ninth individually at 6 over. 

Madi Whitney was another big mover for the Penguins after a slow start with an opening round of 80. Whitney started round two with a bang as she birdied on hole nine and added two more on 15 and 17 to make the turn at 1 under par. Whitney finished the round at 1-over 73 to begin her move up the leaderboard. Whiney finished her tournament in a flourish, much like Kraatz, as she found the cup for back-to-back birdies before a par on her final hole provide the final push that saw them leap Hilo for good. Whtiney placed 25th individually at 13 over par.

Ellexis Ming Ming posted rounds of 79, 81 and 78 as she finished with three pars down the stretch to strengthen the Penguins clutch finish. Ming Ming finished with a. 22 over for the tournament to place 43rd overall. Cristen Faith Legaspi capped off the top-4 of the team of fantastic finishes with two birdies and four pars as she moved up six spots down the stretch to place 54th overall at 26 over par. Newcomer Jacie Johnson made her first appearance for the Penguins and finished two strokes behind Legaspi in 60th with her best round coming Monday afternoon with two birdies for an 80. 

Dominican will have a few weeks to prepare for its next tournament as it stays locally for the Tim Tierney Pioneer Shootout hosted by Cal State East Bay at Corica Park Golf Course in Alameda beginning Monday, February 23.