LOXLEY, Ala. – Following a four-hour morning delay to get the course ready after five-inches of rain on Monday night, Georgia State shot a second round 314 and stands in sixth place entering the final round of the Sun Belt Women’s Golf Championship.
No team in the eight-team field was able to break 300 at Steelwood Country Club. The championship will conclude with the final 18 holes on Wednesday.
Senior Maria Palacios, coming off her win at the John Kirk Panther Intercollegiate just two weeks ago, leads the Panthers in a tie for 14th place. Palacios shot an 8-over 80 on Tuesday to stand at 11-over par following 36 holes.
“The team worked really hard today and kept their chins up, but we just couldn’t get the putts to drop,” head coach Cathy Mant said. “The course got a ton of rain last night and it got colder and windy today, making it play different than we have seen the last two days. We tried to adjust but a couple of holes did us in. I know that our team will keep fighting tomorrow to give us the best finish possible we can achieve.”
Junior Lauren Court shot a second-round 79 and is now tied for 20th at 12-over par.
Senior Laura Sanchez fired a 78 on Tuesday and is now tied for 22nd at 13-over par.
Senior Melissa Siviter shot a second straight 81 and is now tied for 33rd at 18-over par.
Sophomore Julie Lied had the Panthers best round of the day, a 5-over 77, to move up to 36th place at 22-over. Lied’s round included three birdies.
Troy continues to lead the eight-team field following a second-round 307 and is now 24-over for the championship. Texas State is second at 30-over, followed by South Alabama in third at 38-over. UL Monroe shot the round of the day, a 302, and stands in fourth at 42-over, followed by UALR in fifth at 47-over.
South Alabama’s Ashleigh Ryals leads the field at 4-over par following a 75 on Tuesday. UL Monroe’s Alison Knowles and Troy’s Brooke Spinks are tied for second at 5-over. A group of four are tied for third at 6-over, including Arkansas State’s Maci Arrington, Texas State’s Lora Assad, UALR’s Sofia Berglund and Troy’s Fatima Fern Cano.
The Panthers have won five conference championships in the last 11 years with four runner-up finishes. GSU is trying to win its first Sun Belt title in its second year in the league.
A win would guarantee the Panthers a spot in one of three NCAA Regional sites, May 5-7. Three courses will make up this year’s regional sites, including Daytona Beach, Fla., Notre Dame, Ind., and Auburn, Wash.
