Huskers in Hunt at Texas Tech

Lubbock, Texas - Juniors JC Stevenson and Kate White closed the first day of the McHaney/Morehead Invitational in the top 10 to lead the Nebraska women's golf team to fifth place in the team standings after the first 36 holes on Monday.

Stevenson, a Grand Island native, opened the 13-team tournament with an even-par 73 on the 6,525-yard layout at The Rawls Course, before adding a second-round 77 to close the day at 150 in a tie for fifth place. White, a junior from Waukegan, Ill., struggled at times with an opening-round 80 before bouncing back in a big way with a one-under-par 72 in the second round. White, who finished in the top 10 in both of NU's first two tournaments this season, will enter Tuesday's final 18 holes in a tie for ninth place at 152.

With Stevenson and White leading the way, Nebraska enters the final round eight strokes behind the tournament leaders from Baylor. The Lady Bears managed rounds of 302 and 305 to close the day atop the team leaderboard at 607. BU will head into with a three-shot lead over the hosts from Texas Tech, after the Lady Raiders posted rounds of 303 and 307 to close the day at 610 on their home course.

Arkansas-Little Rock produced rounds of 303 and 308 to close the day in third place just four strokes behind Baylor at 611. Colorado settled for an opening-round 313 before rebounding for the best round of the day with a 301 in the second round to sit in fourth place at 614. The Buffaloes are one shot ahead of the fifth-place Huskers, who managed rounds of 312 and 303 to end the first 36 holes at 615.

Nebraska owns a substantial 10-stroke lead over the sixth-place teams in the standings, Missouri and Middle Tennessee State.

"We struggled with the conditions a little bit in the opening round," Nebraska Coach Robin Krapfl said. "The wind was blowing out of the north and during the practice round it was blowing from the south. The wind change made a long course play even longer, so I think it took a little bit to adjust to it. I thought we played quite a bit better in the second round, so hopefully that will carry over tomorrow. We're in the hunt, but we have some work to do."

In addition to the strong first-day showings from Stevenson and White, Rachel Hanigan produced solid rounds of 78 and 77 on Monday. The sophomore from Dunlap, Iowa, heads into Tuesday's final round in a tie for 17th place at 155. Fellow sophomore Mary Kate Bird sits in a tie for 37th place at 160, along with freshman teammate Natalie Gleadall. Bird managed rounds of 81 and 79, while Gleadall battled her way to an opening-round 83 before bouncing back with a 77 in the second round.

Arkansas-Little Rock's Sara Wickstrom owns a five-stroke lead in the individual standings at 141 after firing an even-par 73 in the first round and a remarkable five-under-par 68 in the second round. Wickstrom opened the season by winning Nebraska's Chip-N Club Invitational at Wilderness Ridge, Sept. 15-16.

The McHaney/Morehead Invitational will conclude with 18 holes on Tuesday at the Rawls Course, with a shotgun start at 8:30 a.m.

Jeannine McHaney/Audrey Morehead Invitational
(Oct. 6-7)
The Rawls Course
Par 73, 6,525 Yards
Lubbock, Texas

Team Standings
(Through Two Rounds)
1. Baylor - 302-305-607
2. Texas Tech - 303-307-610
3. Arkansas-Little Rock - 303-308-611
4. Colorado - 313-301-614
5. Nebraska - 312-303-615
T6. Missouri - 315-310-625
T6. Middle Tennessee State - 317-308-625
8. Kansas - 313-316-629
9. Redlands CC - 322-310-632
10. Texas-San Antonio - 325-313-638
11. North Texas - 315-326-641
T12. Sam Houston State - 334-315-649
T12. Kansas State - 337-312-649

Individual Leaderboard
(Through Two Rounds)
1. Sara Wickstrom, UALR - 73-68-141
2. Lene Hafsten-Morch, Baylor - 73-73-146
3. Hannah Burke, Baylor - 73-74-147
4. Ulrika van Niekirk, Texas Tech - 75-74-149
T5. JC Stevenson, Nebraska - 73-77-150
T5. Mallory Fraiche, UALR - 73-75-148
T5. Stephanie Simich, Colorado - 73-77-150
8. Gloriana Soto, Texas Tech - 78-73-151
T9. Kate White, Nebraska - 80-72-152
T9. Megan Dowdy, Texas Tech - 78-74-152
T9. Alex Gibson, Texas Tech - 75-77-152

Husker Golfers
T5. JC Stevenson - 73-77-150
T9. Kate White - 80-72-152
T17. Rachel Hanigan - 78-77-155
T37. Mary Kate Bird - 81-79-160
T37. Natalie Gleadall - 83-77-160
*T67. Megan Place - 84-85-169
*playing as an individual