Murray State University Athletics
Lady Racers In Third After Day One Of OVC Golf Championship
4/17/2006 5:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
The old saying in golf is that "you can't win the tournament on the first day, but you sure can loose it," may have been in the back of the Murray State Lady Racers minds as they played the first round of the 2006 O'Reilly OVC Women's Golf Championship at the par 72, 6,178 yard Drake Creek Golf Course. It was a year ago when they shot a 341 and fell 20 shots off the lead and failed in their attempt to win an OVC record fourth straight title.
Today the team was solid from the first tee to the 18th green.
The Racers came home with a 314 and are eight shots behind leader Eastern Kentucky who leads the eight-team field with a total of 306. Jacksonville State sits in second at 310 followed by MSU, Eastern Illinois (326), Tennessee Tech (331), Samford (334), Austin Peay (335) and Tennessee State with a 355.
Ilka Loubser led the way for the Lady Racers with a 76, a round that included 14 pars. Loubser is in third place tie with Leslie Booth and Kelli Warner of EKU. Christi Baron came home with a first round 77 and sits in sixth place. Julie Bennett carded a 79 and is in 14th position. Lauren Hughes 82 was the fourth score for the Lady Racers, she is in 18th in the 40-player field. Ashley Kelbough was the score that MSU threw out after she shot an 88. In NCAA golf, five players turn in scores and the top four count toward the team's total.
Murray State head coach Velvet Milkman was pleased with the way her team performed on day one.
"I really liked the confidence we played with today," Milkman said. "We went out and played our game today and I thought everyone had some moments today when things weren't going right, and they battled through it and finished well."
"We'll sleep on this tonight and come back Tuesday ready to play, I'm happy to be in a position to challenge for the title."
Murray State will tee off with Jacksonville State, the defending OVC Champion, and Eastern Kentucky at 9:52 a.m. for Tuesday's second round.
Here are the Lady Racer tee-times:
9:50 a.m.
Alexandra Espinosa, Jacksonville State
REachel Montgomery, Eastern Kentucky
Ashley Kelbough, Murray State
9:58 a.m.
Portia Abbott, Jacksonville State
Kelly Flynn, Eastern Kentucky
Lauren Hughes, Murray State
10:06 a.m.
Mercedes Haurte, Jacksonville State
Aubree Moore, Eastern Kentucky
Julie Bennett, Murray State
10:14 a.m.
Louise Flemming, Jacksonville State
Leslie Booth, Eastern Kentucky
Christi Baron, Murray State
18 holes of golf Tuesday and Wednesday stand between the team that can find a way to win this event and the NCAA Championships.
The winner will earn the OVC's automatic berth to the NCAA Championships, which will be announced on Monday, May 1. The East Regional will be hosted by Wake Forest at Bryan Park in Browns Summit, N.C., the Central will be hosted by Texas A&M at the Traditions Club in Bryan, Texas., while the West will be hosted by the University of Washington at the Washington National Golf Club.
Ohio Valley Conference Women's Championship
Dates: 04/17-04/19, 2006
Round: 1
Par-Yardage: 72-6178
1 Eastern Kentucky 306
2 Jacksonville St. 310
3 Murray State Univ. 314
4 Eastern Illinois 326
5 Tennessee Tech U. 331
6 Samford University 334
7 Austin Peay State U. 335
8 Tennessee State U. 355
Fin. School Scores
1 Eastern Kentucky 306
T 3 Leslie Booth 37- 39 76
T 3 Kelli Warner 38- 38 76
T 6 Aubree Moore 39- 38 77
T 6 Kelly Flynn 40- 37 77
T 25 Rachel Montgomery 44- 41 85
2 Jacksonville St. 310
T 1 Louise Fleming 38- 37 75
T 9 Shanelle Howell 37- 41 78
T 9 Mercedes Huarte 40- 38 78
T 14 Portia Abbott 41- 38 79
T 25 Alexandra Espinosa 39- 46 85
3 Murray State Univ. 314
T 3 Ilka Loubser 39- 37 76
T 6 Christi Baron 36- 41 77
T 14 Julie Bennett 38- 41 79
T 18 Lauren Hughes 42- 40 82
T 31 Ashley Kelbough 45- 43 88
4 Eastern Illinois 326
T 9 Amy Simons 37- 41 78
16 Jacky Bodis 42- 38 80
17 Carrie Riordan 41- 40 81
T 29 Carrie Paul 45- 42 87
37 Michelle Anderson 48- 47 95
5 Tennessee Tech U. 331
T 9 Beth Underhill 39- 39 78
T 21 Megan French 41- 42 83
24 Kristen Martinez 43- 41 84
T 27 Carla Hazelwood 44- 42 86
34 Mandy Siebert 47- 43 90
6 Samford University 334
T 9 Maria Troche 40- 38 78
T 18 Courtney Warr 42- 40 82
T 27 Stephanie Larson 46- 40 86
T 31 Kellie O'Connell 45- 43 88
36 Kelly Stout 46- 47 93
7 Austin Peay State U. 335
T 18 Pier-Anne Lachance 39- 43 82
T 21 Rachel Ingram 41- 42 83
T 21 Erin Wise 45- 38 83
T 29 Christine Idoux 42- 45 87
38 Lindsey Pippins 51- 46 97
8 Tennessee State U. 355
T 1 Jessica Nemnich 38- 37 75
33 LaToya Moppins 48- 41 89
35 Danielle Stewart 48- 43 91
39 Genesis Fitzgerald 49- 51 100
40 Mary Brigance 55- 59 114
