April 18, 2011

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. - The Samford University women's golf team carded a total team score of 325 on Monday to move into seventh place at the 2011 Southern Conference Championship being held at the pristine Moss Creek Golf Club's North Course.

Samford was paced by junior Sarah Butts and true freshman Alex Jasper who both turned in second-round scores of 80. Butts, the Bulldogs' most experience player on the roster this season, is tied for 16th place in this week's individual tournament with a 36-hole score of 158.

Jasper, Samford's talented native from Clarksville, Tenn., improved her score by a pair of strokes Monday and moved her two-round total to 162. Sophomore Anna Heim turned in an 83 in the second round of play, while Kayla Turner and Natalie Mitchell notched an 82 and 87, respectively.

The Bulldogs' Heim enters Tuesday's third-and-final round with a 36-hole mark of 161 for the team's second best score at this point. Sophomore Turner improved her total score to 168 on Monday and Mitchell moved her two-day tally to 172.

Chattanooga holds the top two individual spots and increased its team lead to 17 strokes after the second round at the 2011 Southern Conference Women's Golf Championship at the Moss Creek Golf Club.

Leading all golfers on Monday were Chattanooga's Emma de Groot and Elon's Virginia Mayer, who both shot a 1-under-par 71. After leading by only one stroke after the first day, de Groot, whose day was highlighted by a bogie-free front nine that included four birdies, increased her lead to seven shots and improved her two-day total to 1-over-par 145.

Mayer's day included a round with three birdies and two bogies and jumped her from tied for 32nd to tied for sixth place with a two-day total of 154 (+10).

With an eight-shot lead after the first day, the Lady Mocs put together a team round of 305 for a 608 total to improve its lead by nine. Joining de Groot in the top 10 for Chattanooga were Jordan Britt (T-2nd, 152) and Christine Wolf (T-8th, 155).

College of Charleston moved up to second place after a team score of 312 on the round for a 625 total. UNC Greensboro fell to third place (630), just ahead of Furman (631), which remained at fourth.

Western Carolina moved up to fifth (634) while Elon (640) and Samford dropped one spot to sixth and seventh, respectively.

Completing the field after the second day of competition were Appalachian State (650), Wofford (658) and The Citadel (697).

Furman's Alexa Rancourt carded a 2-over-par 74 which included a hole-in-one on the seventh hole. Rancourt is currently tied with Britt for second place with a 152 (+8).

The final round of the championship will start Tuesday at 7 a.m. (CDT) with teams teeing off on the first and 10th tees. Results will be updated every three holes at www.golfstatresults.com.

Round Two Results - SoCon Championship