Oct. 9, 1999
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The Notre Dame women’s golf team is tied for second place at the University of Michigan Wolverine Invitational, heading into Sunday’s second and final round of play at the par-73, 5,692-yard UM Golf Course.
The Irish received a surprising top round from freshman Priscilla Ro (Falls Church, Va.), who is tied for sixth in the 88-player field after carding an 80 in Saturday’s opening round. Three other Irish golfers stand among the top 30, including sophomore Kristin McMurtrie (14th, 82) and juniors Shane Smith and Mary Klein (both tied for 29th at 84).
Notre Dame posted a first-round score of 330 in the play-six, count-four event, tying Illinois State for fifth place in the 14-team field. The Irish hold a five-stroke cushion on Illinois (335) while trailing host Michigan by just four shots (326).
Juniors Becca Schloss (87) and Danielle Villarosa (93) rounded out the Irish starting contingent on Saturday while sophomore Luren Fuchs (87) and freshman Terri Taibl (88) competed as individual entrants.
Ro is one of four players tied for sixth at 80, just two strokes behind Southwest Missouri’s Jessica Polus and Kent’s Leigh Ann Griffin. Heather Fueger of Ohio University fired an even-par 73 and leads the individual competition by one stroke over Kent’s Jan Dowling (74).
Kent-in just its second year as a varsity program-sits atop the leaderboard after an opening-round 316, followed by Ohio (320) and Southwest Missouri (326).
Notre Dame continues to play without senior captain Andrea Klee, who remains out indefinitely with an arm injury.
TEAM STANDINGS (18 holes of 36): 1. Kent 316, 2. Ohio University 320, 3. Southwest Missouri 320, 4. Michigan 326, 5. Notre Dame 330, Illinois State 330, 7. Illinois 335, 8. Southern Illinois 336, 9. Cincinnati 338, 10. Eastern Michigan 339, 11. Toledo 345, 12. Michigan-B 347, 13. Bowling Green 354, 14. Western Michigan 369.
TOP INDIVIDUALS (of 88): 1. Heather Fueger (OU) 73, 2. Jan Dowling (KENT) 74, 3. Lauren Kanda (ILL) 77, 4. Jessica Polus (SWM) 78, Leigh Ann Griffin, 6. Priscilla Ro (ND) 80, Kim Benedict (MICH) 80, Katie Howard (SWM) 80, Jill Rachford (ISU) 80.
OTHER NOTRE DAME SCORES: 14. Kristin McMurtrie 82, 29. Shane Smith 84, 29. Mary Klein 84, 47. Becca Schloss 87, 47. Lauren Fuchs (indiv.) 87, Terri Taibl (indiv.) 88, 75. Danielle Villarosa 93.