NC State
NCAA East Regional Championship
Wolfpack Bounces Back In Second Round
5/7/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
May 6, 2005
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - The NC State women's golf team had a rough morning at the NCAA East Regional on Friday, but bounced back in the second round that afternoon, improving 20 strokes and is in 17th place going into the final round Saturday. Lorraine Ballerano and Lauren Harling lead the Wolfpack at the University of Florida par 70 golf course at 13-over.
Ballerano and Harling shot identical scores on Friday, posting a team-best 79 in the first round and firing four-over in the second round. Harling, the lone freshman in the Pack's lineup, tees off Saturday at 12:20. Ballerano will begin her third round at 12:30 on Saturday.
Ashlee Dean improved five strokes from the first round to card a five-over second round. The lone senior in NC State's lineup will tee off Saturday at 12:10. Molly Birmingham also shaved five strokes off her first round score, posting a six-over second round. The junior is slated to start at noon Saturday. Nancy Mountcastle also competed for the Wolfpack and tees off at 11:50 Saturday morning.
The top eight teams plus the top two individuals not on those teams will advance to the NCAA Championship. A three-day 54-hole tournament, the NCAA East Regional was scheduled to begin on Thursday, but inclement weather forced the first round to be postponed until Friday, so 36 holes were played today. NC State is four stroke behind the three teams tied for 14th place and is 19 strokes out of eighth place.
Ohio State leads the field of 21 after two rounds at five-over and holds a 10-stroke lead over second place Duke. Despite the solid play of the Buckeyes, the buzz of the day belonged to two freshmen golfers as they recorded back-to-back holes-in-one on the 165-yard, par three 15th-hole in the opening round. After Mississippi State's Julia Huh led her group off with an ace, South Carolina's Whitney Simons drove the very next ball into the hole, dislodging Huh's and remaining at the bottom of the cup to score the true back-to-back aces.
Virginia's Leah Wigger leads the way entering the final round of play as she owns a three-under par score of 137. Complete results and live scoring are available at www.golfstat.com.
17th NC State 319-299=618 (+58)
t-53rd Lorraine Ballerano 79-74=153 (+13)
t-53rd Lauren Harling 79-74=153 (+13)
t-68th Ashlee Dean 80-75=155 (+15)
t-77th Molly Birmingham 81-76=157 (+17)
t-87th Nancy Mountcastle 81-78=159 (+19)
