May 6, 2011
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AUBURN, Wash. - Led by par-72's from senior Alice Kim and sophomore Demi Runas on Friday, the 22nd-ranked UC Davis women's golf team fired the third-best round of the day and is a solid fourth place after two rounds of the NCAA Division I West Regional at Washington National Golf Club.
Runas continues to hover near the lead, currently sitting at 3-under 141 and in third place heading into Saturday's final round. UC Davis is at 16-over 592 overall and 11 shots clear of Texas A&M and Oregon which are tied for eighth. Only the top eight teams and top two individuals will advance to the NCAA Finals later this month at College Station, Texas.
The Aggies carded a collective 4-over 292 on Friday. Only top-ranked USC, which was 4 under, and 13th-ranked Tennessee, which was one shot in the red, had better second-round scores in the 24-team field.
USC, at 4-under 572 overall, has a seven-shot lead over Tennessee. Virginia is in third at 15 over, just one stroke in front of the Aggies who are four ahead of seventh-ranked Arizona which is in fifth at 20 over.
UC Davis' impressive second day was also bolstered by a 1-over 73 from Chelsea Stelzmiller and a 75 from sophomore Amy Simanton. Simanton is tied for 19th at 4 over, Kim is tied for 42nd at 8 over, and Stelzmiller is tied for 45th at 9 over. Freshman Jessica Chulya had an 84 on Friday and is tied for 105th.
Runas had one par and one bogey on both her front and back nines on Friday, also picking up 14 pars, to keep her at 3 under overall. She began the day tied for second but is just one shot behind three-time All-American Lizette Salas of USC who is in second. First-day leader Erica Popson of Tennessee followed up her opening-round 68 with a 69 on Friday and is at 7-under 137.
Kim cut eight shots off her score from Thursday, turning in a 72 after playing her final 11 holes 1 under. She had nine straight pars at one point before finishing birdie-par. Stelzmiller was 2 over with eight holes to play but had three straight birdies covering the third through fifth holes to help her come in with a 73.
Simanton opened her second round with a bogey, rattled off 10 straight pars and later had a birdie as part of her 3-over 75. Chulya struggled over her front nine but battled back with a 3-over 39 on her final nine holes.
UC Davis is trying to make a return appearance to the national finals for the first time since 2008 when it made an improbable run to 21st place in the national championship during just its first Div. I year. This season marks its third team appearance in four seasons.
The Aggies will play with Arizona and Washington during Saturday's final round. They'll tee off beginning at 9:06 a.m.
NCAA WOMEN'S GOLF WEST REGIONAL
Auburn, Wash. (hosted by Univ. of Washington
Washington National Golf Club
Par 72, 6,266 yards
36 of 54 holes
TEAMS
1. Southern California, 288-284-572
2. Tennessee, 292-287-579
3. Virginia, 290-301-591
4. UC DAVIS, 300-292-592
5. Arizona, 303- 293-596
6. Washington, 304-294-598
7. South Carolina, 303-299-602
T8. Texas A&M, 301-302-603
T8. Oregon, 302-301-603
10. Iowa State, 304-306-611
T11. BYU, 303-311-614
T11. Denver, 307-307-614
T13. Portland State, 305-311-616
T13. Oklahoma, 316-300-616
T15. Pepperdine, 318-299-617
T15. Georgia, 314-303-617
17. San Diego State, 310-311-621
18. Texas-San Antonio, 311-313-624
19. Tulsa, 310-315-625
20. New Mexico, 310-318-628
21. San Jose State, 315- 316-631
22. New Mexico State, 319-315-634
23. Oral Roberts, 320-314-634
24. Texas-El Paso, 321-324-645
INDIVIDUAL
1. Erica Popson, Tennessee, 68-69-137
UC DAVIS
3. Demi Runas, 69-72-141
T19. Amy Simanton, 73-75-148
T42. Alice Kim, 80-72-152
T45. Chelsea Stelzmiller, 80-73-153
T105. Jessica Chulya, 78-84-162
