State Finishes Old Barnwell Derby Match Play With Win Over No. 22 Duke

Tuesday, March 18

Aiken, S.C.

Mississippi State

No. 22 Duke

State Finishes Old Barnwell Derby Match Play With Win Over No. 22 Duke

March 18, 2025 | Women's Golf

By: William Simmons, Communications Fellow

AIKEN, S.C. – No. 19 Mississippi State knocked off their second top 25 opponent as in many days on Tuesday, as they concluded the Old Barnwell Derby Match Play with a 4-1 victory over No. 22 Duke.

Avery Weed dominated her match on the way to a 5&3 victory. She started off her day with a lead after the first hole and never look back. She extended her lead to five after the 15th hole to secure the point.

Chiara Horder, Izzy Pellot and Samantha Whateley all earned 1UP victories on the day. Horder went back and forth with Duke's Canado Espinal throughout the contest. She secured a one-hole advantage on the 13th. Although Canado Espinal tied the match on the 16th, Horder immediately gained a victory on 17 and held that lead to the finish.

Pellot gained her first lead of the day on hole three. She held that lead until Duke's Heflin tied the match on the 10th but regained it immediately on the 11th and never surrendered the lead again.

Whateley's round went similar to Pellot's. She gained a lead immediately on the first hole and held it until De Troia from Duke tied it on the 16th. Whateley earned the point after regaining her lead on the final hole of the day.

The Bulldogs will be back in action when they travel to Forth Worth, Texas, for their final tournament of the season, the Charles Schwab Women's Collegiate. The tournament will begin next Monday, March 24.

MSU def. Duke, 4-1
Chiara Horder def. A. CANADO ESPINAL, 1UP
Samanatha Whateley def. C. DE TROIA, UP
Izzy Pellot def. R. Heflin, 1UP
Avery Weed def. K. LI, 5&3
A. SMITH def. Ana Pina Ortega, 2UP

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