Huskers in Contention in South Carolina

Kiawah Island, S.C. - The Nebraska women's golf team fired an opening-round 307 and began a solid second round on the first day of the Edwin Watts/Palmetto Intercollegiate at the Oak Point Golf Club on Monday.

The Huskers were just nine strokes off the pace after the first round, despite sitting in 11th place.  Nebraska's 307 included a solid 74 from senior Merynn Ito, which put her in a tie for ninth place, and a three-over par 75 from sophomore Chrissie McArdle, to put her in a tie for 19th.  Sara Sackett added a 78, while true freshman Elli Brown contributed an 80 in the opening round.

Nebraska Coach Robin Krapfl said the Huskers got off to a fast start on the 5,911-yard par 72 layout at the Oak Point Golf Club, but struggled late in the first round.

"We were playing solid golf through 15 holes and then we really struggled to close the round," Krapfl said.  "If we could have finished it off it would have been one of our better rounds of the season.  Then we kind of got it going again at the start of the second round and had some strong scores again on first nine holes of the second round.  Hopefully we can gain some ground tomorrow."

Ito, a native of Aiea, Hawaii, opened the second round with a sizzling, two-under par 34 on the front nine.  McArdle, an Eden Prairie, Minn., native, added an even-par 36.  Sackett, a native of Cambridge, Neb., fired a 37, while Brown, a Meridian, Idaho native, pitched in a 39 to put NU at 146 as a team on the first nine holes of the second round.  The Huskers are on pace for a 292 in the second round, which would shatter their best round of the fall season.  NU's best round came with a 302 in the opening round of the Price's "Give 'Em Five" Invitational on Oct. 4.

The tournament format had the Huskers play 27 holes on Monday, before concluding with the final 27 holes on Tuesday at the event hosted by the College of Charleston.

Nebraska Team Scores
1st-2nd (9)-27-Hole Total
307-146-453 (+21)

Nebraska Individuals
(Places listed are after First Round only)
T9. Merynn Ito - 74-34-108 (Even)
T19. Chrissie McArdle - 75-36 (+3)
T48. Sara Sackett - 78-37 (+7)
T62. Elli Brown - 80-39 (+11)
T76. Allison Stewart - 82-42 (+16)

Team Results After One Round
1. Campbell - 298
    Louisville - 298
3. Michigan - 300
    Notre Dame - 300
5. Coastal Carolina - 301
    East Carolina - 301
7. Illinois - 302
8. SMU - 304
9. Kansas State - 305
    Oral Roberts - 305
11. Nebraska - 307
12. Wisconsin - 308
13. College of Charleston - 309
      Arkansas State - 309
15. Western Carolina - 315
16. Cincinnati - 327
17. Appalachian State - 338
     The Citadel - 338