MUSCLE SHOALS, Ala. - The University of South Alabama men's golf team, behind the efforts of a trio of individuals, cut its deficit to just four strokes Tuesday at the Sun Belt Conference Championships heading into the final round of the event.
Chris Piumelli, Marc-Etienne Bussieres and Jack Hiluta all shot a 1-over-par 73 at the 7,171-yard, par-72 The Shoals' Fighting Joe Course, with each remaining in the top 10 in the individual standings following the second of three rounds. As a result, the Jaguars - who began the day 10 shots behind first-round leader Middle Tennessee - posted a 294 team total for a 590 36-hole score.
The Blue Raiders continue to lead with a 586 total, and New Orleans is in second place one shot ahead of the Jags. USA's second round score was the second-lowest of the day among the 12 teams competing.
Piumelli is in a tie for third place with four other players with a two-round score of 1-over-par 145. He began the day with nine straight pars, and was as low as two strokes under par after birdying the 10th and 12th holes. He trails UNO's Oscar Zetterwall - who has a 137 36-hole total after his 6-under-par 66 was the low score of the second round - by eight strokes.
Middle Tennessee's Hunter Green is the only other player among the 60 in the field below par after two rounds with a 143.
Bussieres and Hiluta remained in the top 10 as well, climbing from 10th to eighth place overall with identical marks of 146 over the first 36 holes.
The former had one birdie on each side, opening the round with a four at the par-five first hole. He made the turn at even par, then answered a bogey at No. 14 with a birdie three on the next hole.
The latter began the day with back-to-back birdies, adding another at No. 7 as he posted a four on both par-five holes on the opening nine. Hiluta would add a pair of birdies on the back side as well, including his third on a par-five hole after carding a four at No. 12 - his final one came at the par-three 18th.
McLain Leberte improved his opening-round score by three strokes, ending the second day with a 75 for a 153 total. He's in a tie for 32nd place, an improvement of eight spots in the standings, after collecting consecutive birdie threes at Nos. 3 and 4 to go along with a birdie at the par-four eighth hole to make the turn with a 35. Blake Kelley, who carded birdies on Nos. 8 and 12, ended the round with an 83 and a two-day 162 total.
"Through 14 holes we played phenomenal golf, then we had a couple of big numbers which was easy to do under the circumstances," USA head coach Ben Hannan said. "Before the round started, we talked about responding to adversity because we knew we would face it with the weather conditions today.
"We have a shot tomorrow, which is all you can ask for."
The Jaguars will tee off with Middle Tennessee and UNO on No. 1 at 8:15 a.m. Wednesday, although final-round action will begin on the first and 10th holes at 7:30 a.m.
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).
-USA-
Sun Belt Conference Championships
The Shoals Fight Joe Course, Muscle Shoals, Ala.
Par 72, 7,171 yards
Team Scores: 1) Middle Tennessee 286-300-586 (+10); 2) New Orleans 296-293-589; 3) South Alabama 296-294-590; T4) North Texas 291-307-598; T4) Louisiana-Monroe 302-296-598; 6) Louisiana-Lafayette 297-303-600; 7) Arkansas State 303-298-601; 8) Western Kentucky 298-306-604; 9) Florida Atlantic 305-303-608; 10) UALR 308-302-610; 11) Troy 312-304-616; 12) Denver 308-309-617.
Individual Leaders: 1) Oscar Zetterwall, UNO 71-66-137 (-7); 2) Hunter Green, MT 73-70-143; T3) Chris Piumelli, USA 72-73-145; T3) Rodolfo Cazaubon, NT 72-73-145; T3) Troy Anderson, DU 72-73-145; T3) Craig Smith, MT 70-75-145; T3) Alex Yost, WKU 71-74-145; T8) Marc-Etienne Bussieres, USA 73-73-146; T8) Jack Hiluta, USA 73-73-146; T8) Kyle Prichard, ULL 75-71-146.
South Alabama Scores: T3) Chris Piumelli 72-73-145 (+1); T8) Marc-Etienne Bussieres 73-73-146; T8) Jack Hiluta 73-73-146; T32) McLean Leberte 78-75-153; 55) Blake Kelley 79-83-162.
