CHANDLER, Ariz. – Freshman
Stephanie Kim posted a two-under par 70 to improve to five-under
par after 36 holes to record a new conference mark after the second
round of the Big Sky Conference Golf Championships presented by
Black Clover at Ocotillo Golf Resort.
“It is shaping up the way
with thought with three teams playing really well,” said Head
Coach Brad Bedortha, who led the Lumberjacks to the team title last
season. “We need all five players to play better
tomorrow.”
Northern Arizona is tied for the
team lead with Portland State at 15-over par 591 after a 297 in the
second round. The Vikings posted a 296 in the second round.
Sacramento State is seven strokes back after a second consecutive
299 at 598, while Northern Colorado is fourth overall at 612.
Kim recorded a bogey-free round
with two birdies. The Phoenix native had birdies on the 518-yard,
par-5 sixth hole and 341-yard, par 4 15th hole. She broke the
conference mark for 36 holes set by Margaux Sheehan of 140 set in
2007.
“She is playing great and
hitting good shots,” said Bedortha. “She is going about
her business and it is a lot of fun to watch.”
Kim, who was named the Big Sky
Player and Freshman of the Year, is attempting to become the second
freshman in conference history to win the Big Sky Championship.
NAU's Sophia Choi was the first freshman to claim the
tournament tile in 2005. Overall, five NAU players have won
medalist honors at the Big Sky Championship, including Choi, Lauren
Gray (2004), Louise Davis (1997) and Eleanor Pilgram (1996, 1998).
Kim leads teammate Megan Buck, a
senior from Glendale, by six strokes after Buck posted a three-over
par 75 in the second round to move to one-under par 145. Portland
State's Britney Yada is third overall at three-over par 147.
Four players are tied for fourth nine strokes back at 148.
“I struggled a little bit
today but finished well,” said Buck, who tied for ninth in
2009.
Buck had her first competitive
eagle on the 341-yard, par-5 15th hole to help her
round.
“I had a nine iron into the
hole and hit it really solid,” said Buck. “I knew it
was going to be close and I heard it hit the flagstick but did not
see it go in. But one of spectators got excited and said it went in
the hole. It was exciting.”
Junior Dakin Banta, who is from
Yuma, Ariz., is 10th overall at 150 with a second
consecutive three-over par 75. Junior Bethany Leclair, who is from
Scottsdale, is tied for 26th with a five-over 77 at 157,
while junior Alexa Kim from Chandler is tied for 29th
after a 78.
The Lumberjacks will be going for
their second consecutive and seventh overall Big Sky team title.
The conference champion earns an automatic berth into the NCAA
Championships.
The third and final round starts on
Wednesday morning at 6:30 a.m.
Big Sky Golf
Championship
Ocotillo Golf
Resort
Chandler, Ariz.
Team Results
T1 Portland State 295-296 591 +15
T1. Northern Arizona
294-297 591 +15
3. Sacramento State 299-299 598 +22
4. Northern Colorado 300-309 609
+33
5. Montana 311-301 612 +36
T6. Weber State 313-312 625 +49
T6. Montana State 309-316 625 +49
8. Eastern Washington 324-328 652
+76
9. Idaho State 326-331 657 +81
Individual Results (Top
10)
1. Stephanie Kim, Northern
Arizona 69-70 139 -5
2. Megan Buck, Northern
Arizona 70-75 145 +1
3. Britney Yada, Portland State
71-76 147 +3
T4. Brooke Green, Sacramento State
75-73 148 +4
T4. Stephanie Johns, Portland State
75-73 148 +4
T4. Ali Nelson, Northern Colorado
75-73 148 +4
T4. Samantha Saffold, Sacramento
State 72-76 148 +4
T8. Ashli Helstrom, Montana 76-73
149 +5
T8. Tiffany Schoning, Portland
State 75-74 149 +5
10. Dakin Banta, Northern
Arizona 75-75 150 +6
Other NAU
Results
T26, Bethany Leclair 80-77 157
T29, Alexa Kim 81-78 159
DID YOU KNOW?...The Lumberjacks
had 11 of the 15 intercollegiate teams record a cumulative GPA of
3.0 or higher led by women's soccer at 3.42. Women's basketball was
close behind at 3.39, followed by women's cross country (3.35),
women's golf (3.29), swimming and diving (3.25) volleyball (3.22)
and men's cross country (3.19).
