Tennessee advanced out of stroke play at 2-over 842 (284-275-283), well behind No. 3 Florida, which led the field at 9-under 831. Texas and Oklahoma tied for second at 3 under 837, highlighting just how much ground Tennessee had to make up heading into match play.

And they did.

The Lady Vols survived the bracket, while top-seed Florida was knocked out by Auburn in the semifinals. Auburn, the No. 4 seed, carried that momentum into the final—but ran into a Tennessee team that kept finding answers.

The championship match turned quickly. Sophie Christopher and Sofie Engesaeth delivered dominant 6&5 wins over Katie Cranston and Charlotte Cantonis, giving Tennessee a 2-0 lead and putting them within one point of the title.

Auburn responded. Anna Davis defeated Manassanan Chotikabhukkana 2&1, and Molly Brown Davidson followed with a 5&4 win over Madison Messimer to level the match.

Everything came down to Kyra Van Kan.

The sophomore from Johannesburg, South Africa, was locked in a tight battle with Carys Worby. A birdie on the 14th gave Van Kan a 2 UP edge, but a bogey on 16 cut it to one.

On the par-4 17th, both players found the fairway. Worby hit first and found the green, applying pressure. Van Kan answered with her best shot of the day, knocking her approach inside three feet.

Worby missed her chance. Van Kan did not.

She rolled in the putt to win 2&1, sealing the championship and completing a storybook finish for Tennessee.

The win marks Tennessee’s fourth victory of the season, a new program record, and ends a long wait after runner-up finishes in the SEC Championship, most recently in 1999.

Defending champion South Carolina never made it to match play, finishing T-10 at 6-over and missing the cut as only the top eight teams advanced.