Women’s Golf Run Ends in NCAA Match Play Quarterfinals

CARLSBAD, Calif. – The Duke women's golf team had its run at the NCAA Championship come to an end Tuesday morning as the seventh-seeded Blue Devils dropped a 3-2 decision to second-seeded Southern California in the quarterfinals of match play at the 6,271-yard, par-72 Omni La Costa Resort & Spa North Course in Carlsbad.

In Duke's sixth appearance in match play at the NCAA Championship, the Blue Devils received victories from Rianne Malixi and Katie Li in the morning. The Duke duo combined to notch 14 birdies between the two.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Duke jumped out to early leads in the second and fourth matches behind stellar play by Rianne Malixi and Katie Li.
Going out second, Malixi was on fire from the start, registering birdies on the first three holes to go 2UP. Both golfers birdied No. 6 and then USC's Jasmine Koo birdied the seventh hole to cut the match to 1UP in favor of Malixi. A product of Manila, Philippines, Malixi then birdied No. 8, both golfers birdied No. 11 and then Malixi closed the match out with birdies on No. 12 and No. 14. She shot 8-under-par through 14 holes in the match to win 5&4.
Katie Li featured an excellent start against Elise Lee as she won the first hole with a par and then stuck her approach on the par-5 second hole to two feet to go 2UP. Li, who is from Basking Ridge, New Jersey, parred No. 5 to go 3UP and birdied No. 6 to take a 4UP lead. After dropping holes No. 8 and No. 9, Li regrouped and birdied No. 10 and No. 12 to go back ahead, 4UP. Li closed the match with her sixth birdie of the day on the 312-yard, par-4 No. 15 to win 5&3.
Graduate student Andie Smith went out first and had a tough match against ninth-ranked Catherine Park. Smith, a product of Hobe Sound, Florida, dropped hole No. 3 to fall behind, but registered her first of four birdies of the morning on No. 4 to pull the match even again. Park won holes No. 5, No. 7 and No. 9 to go 3UP. Smith kept battling with birdies on No. 10 and No. 12, but still was down two holes. Park closed the match with back-to-back birdies on No. 14 and No. 15 for a 5&3 win.
Freshman Avery McCrery faced Bailey Shoemaker in the third match. Shoemaker won the first hole, but McCrery birdied the second to get the match tied. After dropping the fourth hole, McCrery once again came back with a birdie on No. 5 to tie the match. Shoemaker parred No. 7 to take a 1UP lead and she never relinquished it the rest of the way. She birdied No. 8 and No. 9, while holing out from the fairway on No. 11 to go 4UP. McCrery, who is from Wilmington, Delaware, ended up dropping a 6&4 decision.
With the match tied, 2-2, it all came down to Duke's Anna Cañado Espinal and Southern California's Kylie Chong in the final match of the day. Chong struck first with a par on No. 2 to go 1UP, but Cañado Espinal parred No. 6 to even the match. After hitting the fairway bunker on No. 7, Cañado Espinal suffered a bogey and gave Chong a 1UP lead. Cañado Espinal, a native of Barcelona, Spain, tied the match with a par on No. 10, but suffered a bogey on No. 11 to give Chong a 1UP lead. Chong birdied No. 13 to take a 2UP lead and closed the match on No. 15 with a 4&3 decision.

NOTES

Rianne Malixi totaled a perfect 6-0-0 record in match play during her rookie season.
Katie Li moved to 6-4-2 all-time in match play, including a 3-2-1 ledger in 2025-26.
Andie Smith closed her collegiate career with a 10-6-1 mark, while Avery McCrery fell to 2-1-0. Anna Cañado Espinal dropped to 4-5-0 all-time and 4-2-0 in 2025-26.
In six match play appearances, Duke and Southern California have met in three of those years. USC has won the last two meetings (2021, 2026).

QUOTES

"It was really hard to have things come to an end. It was a fun season, especially this spring. Everyone contributed throughout the season. Andie [Smith], in particular, has been a great leader. I was really happy for her that she played so well here at nationals." -- Duke head coach Dan Brooks

To stay up to date with Blue Devils women's golf, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeWGOLF".

#GoDuke

#2 Southern California 3, #7 Duke 2
Catherine Park (USC) def. Andie Smith (DU) 5&3
Rianne Malixi (DU) def. Jasmine Koo (USC) 5&4
Bailey Shoemaker (USC) def. Avery McCrery (DU) 6&4
Katie Li (DU) def. Elise Lee (USC) 5&3
Anna Cañado Espinal (DU) def. Kylie Chong (USC) 4&3