Sept. 21, 2002
East Lansing, Mich. – The Notre Dame women’s golf team opened the 2002-03 season at Michigan State’s Mary Fossum Invitational with rounds of 316 and 314 for a 630-total after 36 holes of play Saturday afternoon.
The Irish will go into Sunday’s final 18 holes 30 strokes behind Michigan State as the Spartan’s shot consecutive rounds of 300 on their home course for a 24-over par total of 600 on the par 72, 6,113-yard Forest Akers West Course.
Notre Dame is just three strokes behind eighth-place Iowa (313-314-627) and four behind seventh-place Nebraska (311-315-626). Rounding out the top five behind Michigan State was Wisconsin (302-305-607), Kent State (299-310-609), Illinois (316-299-615) while Michigan (312-305-617) and Kansas State (315-302-617) were tied for fifth.
Three strokes separate the top six golfers with Western Michigan’s Erica Bieniek holding a one-stroke lead over Michigan State’s Allison Fouch. Bieniek shot 71-75 for her two-over par total of 146. Fouch opened with a 75 before shooting an even-par 72 for her 147 total. Illinois’ Renata Young (76-72) and Kansas State’s Miranda Smith (77-71) were tied for third at four-over par 148. Nebraska’s Sarah Sasse (75-74) and Wisconsin’s Malinda Johnson (76-73) were in a tie for fifth at five-over 149.
Notre Dame’s top performance came from freshman Sarah Bassett (Spokane, Wash.) who tied for 25th after the first 36 holes of play with a 12-over par 156 on rounds of 80 and 76. Junior Rebecca Rogers (Alpharetta, Ga.) tied for 28th, one stroke behind Bassett with rounds of 78 and 79 for a 157 mark.
One stroke behind Rogers was freshman Katie Brophy (Spokane, Wash.) who opened her collegiate career with rounds of 78 and 80 to tie for 32nd with a 158. Junior Shannon Byrne (Arlington Heights, Ill.) and freshman Lauren Gebauer (Columbus, Ohio) tied for 39th with 16-over par totals of 160. Byrne fired rounds of 81 and 79 while Gebauer got her career started with a pair of 80’s.
Karen Lotta (So., Los Angeles, Calif.) closed out the Notre Dame contingent with rounds of 80 and 84 to tie for 51st with a 164.
The final round of play at the Mary Fossum Invitational will begin on Sunday morning at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time in East Lansing, Mich.
TEAM RESULTS (36-hole totals): 1. Michigan State 300-300-600; 2. Wisconsin 302-305-607; 3. Kent State 299-310-609; 4. Illinois 316-299-615; t5. Michigan 312-305-617; Kansas State 315-302-617; 7. Nebraska 311-315-626; 8. Iowa 313-314-627; 9. Notre Dame 316-314-630; 10. Western Michigan 314-317-631; 11. Ohio University 316-320-636; 12. Eastern Michigan 322-332-654; 13. Ferris State 336-321-657.
TOP 10 INDIVIDUALS (of 77): 1. Erica Bieniek (Western Michigan) 71-75-146; 2. Allison Fouch (Michigan State) 75-72-147; t3. Renata Young (Illinois) 76-72-148; Miranda Smith (Kansas State) 77-71-148; t5. Sarah Sasse (Nebraska) 75-74-149; Malinda Johnson (Wisconsin) 76-73-149; 7. Sarah Martin (Michigan State) 75-75-150; t8. Laura Olin (Michigan) 78-73-151; Dayna Burleigh (Michigan State) 77-74-151; Martina Gillen (Kent State) 76-75-151; Gabby Wedding (Kent State) 74-77-151; Lindsay McMillan (Wisconsin) 73-78-151.
NOTRE DAME INDIVIDUALS (of 77): t25. Sarah Bassett 80-76-156; t28. Rebecca Rogers 78-79-157; t32. Katie Brophy 78-80-158; t39. Shannon Byrne 81-79-160; Lauren Gebauer 80-80-160; t51. Karen Lotta 80-84-164.