SANDESTIN, Fla. – The University of South Alabama women's golf team moved up two spots to eighth after shooting the fourth-best round of the day, a combined 307, on day two of the Sun Belt Conference Championships at the Raven Golf Club.
Siti Shaari shot a three-over-par 74 – improving by seven strokes over her round one score – and moved up 15 spots to tie for 20th individually. Caroline Berge is also tied for 20th overall after shooting a 77 (+6) on the second day of competition.
TOURNAMENT INFORMATION
Event (Host): 2018 Sun Belt Conference Championships (Sun Belt)
Dates: April 15-17 (Sunday-Tuesday)
Format: 54 holes (18/18/18)
Start Time: 7:30 a.m.
Course: The Raven Golf Club (par 71, 6,171 yds)
Results
TEAM SCORES
1) Coastal Carolina 297-286 – 583 (+15); 2) Troy 300-306 – 606 (+38); 3) UT Arlington 307-306 – 613 (+45); 4) Georgia Southern 299-318 – 617 (+49); 5) Texas State 310-312 – 622 (+54); T6) Arkansas State 311-313 – 624 (+56); T6) Georgia State 315-309 – 624 (+56); T8) South Alabama 323-307 – 630 (+62); T8) Appalachian State 307-323 – 630 (+62); 10) Little Rock 327-319 – 646 (+78); 11) ULM 321-335 – 656 (+88)
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
1) Malene Krolboll Hansen, Coastal Carolina, 73-69 – 142 (E); 2) Lindsey Harrison, Troy, 71-75 – 146 (+4); T3) Sena Ersoy, Coastal Carolina, 77-70 – 147 (+5); T3) Frantiska Lunackova, Coastal Carolina, 77-70 – 147 (+5); 5) Ava Schwienteck, UT Arlington, 74-75 – 149 (+7); T6) Madigan Murray, UT Arlington, 76-74 – 150 (+8); T6) Paula Zabarte, Georgia State, 73-77 – 150 (+8); T8) Julianna Collett, Georgia Southern, 71-80 – 151 (+9); T8) Joliana Elias, Appalachian State, 72-79 – 151 (+9); T8) Marie Lunackova, Coastal Carolina, 74-77 – 151 (+9)
SOUTH ALABAMA SCORES
T20) Caroline Berge, 78-77 – 155 (+13); T20) Siti Shaari, 81-74 – 155 (+13); T33) Julie Hovland, 80-80 – 160 (+18); T36) MacKenzie Peyton, 84-77 – 161 (+19); 42) Madison Connell, 84-79 – 163 (+21)
TEE SHOTS
-The Jaguars have carded 12 birdies and played 98 holes at par through two rounds. The team is fifth in par-3 scoring (3.16 average, +8).
-Shaari recorded four birdies in the round and has played 26 holes at par or better in the tournament. She leads the team and is tied for eighth overall on par-4s (4.28 average, +5).
-Berge has played 25 holes at par and is tied for fourth individually in that category. She is even on par-3s, tying for eighth overall, and holds a 5.38 average (+3) on par-5 holes.
-MacKenzie Peyton is also tied for eighth in par-3 scoring with a 3.00 average. She shot a 77 to surpass her first-round score by seven strokes and played 12 holes at par or better today, including birdies on holes six and eight.
-Julie Hovland holds a 3.50 (+5) average on par-3s, 4.50 (+9) average on par-4s and 5.50 (+4) average on par-5s in the tournament. She has played 16 holes at par through two rounds and carded a birdie on the 18th hole today.
-Madison Connell shot an eight-over-par 79 and carded one birdie in round two. She leads the Jaguars in par-5 scoring with a 5.38 (+3) average.
THEY SAID IT
Head Coach Matt Luther
On the team's performance in round two… "We played better. Mostly we had a better mindset starting the round shot by shot and being process-oriented. We did a good job of it. We gave some shots away at the end. I was actually a little disappointed with how we finished, but we had a much better attitude today."
On Shaari and Peyton's individual improvements… "They both did a really good job of being present, fighting for shots and not getting down on themselves when the course is playing hard. They both finished pretty strong."
On how to continue climbing the leaderboard… "Keep fighting; keep doing what we did today. We've been working on that this afternoon: how to be process-oriented in playing a shot and not worrying about the outcome, but worrying about controlling the controllable."
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/WeAreSouth_JAGS. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).
Join the Chip In Club, the women's golf specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund. All donations to the Chip In Club go directly to support the South Alabama women's golf program. For more information on how you can join visit: jaguarathleticfund.com/chipinclub.
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