Women's Golf 17th After Day One at NCAA Regional

Morrow leads Golden Flashes with two-over 74 in opening round

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – Playing in a plethora of weather conditions, from driving rain to blustery wind to brilliant sun, the Kent State women's golf team posted a team score of 18-over 306 to stand in 17^th place at the 2012 NCAA Women's Golf East Regional, hosted by Penn State University at the Blue Course.

Kent State was paced by senior Mandi Morrow (Kent, Ohio), who shot a two-over 74 with one birdie to three bogeys to sit in a tie for 24^th place. Morrow tallied her birdie on the par-4 no. 6 as she was even-par on the course's front nine, Kent State's final nine holes.

Fellow senior Mercedes Germino (Necochea, Argentina) was second-best for Kent State, posting a four-over 76. Her putt on her final hole, the par-5 no. 9, was good for her lone birdie of the round.

Freshman Jennifer Ha (Calgary, Alberta) tallied a birdie on the par-5 no. 18 on Thursday on her way to a five-over 77. She is tied for 59^th overall.

After struggling early, sophomore Erin Hawe (Walton, New Zealand) shot even par for her final 11 holes to finish with a seven-over 79, ranking in a tie for 89^th place.

Senior Shamira Marshall (Macedonia, Ohio) rounded out Kent State's effort with an eight-over 80.

The top eight teams will advance to the NCAA Championship in two weeks; Kent State is seven strokes out from the team cut line.

South Carolina leads the way after shooting an even-par 288 in the morning round to lead second-place Alabama by four strokes. Texas A&M's Katerina Ruzickova is the individual leader after the first round thanks to a five-under 67 to lead by one stroke.

Kent State will begin Friday's second round at 7:30 a.m. off the first tee and will again be paired with Maryland and San Diego State.