May 8, 2008

LINCOLN, CALIF. -

• Complete Results

The University of North Carolina women's golf team played is in 11th place after the first round of the NCAA West Regional. Carolina fired a nine-over-par 297 total at Lincoln Hills Golf Club, a par 72,.6,338-yard layout. The Tar Heels are just two strokes out of eighth place which is the number of teams that advance on to the NCAA Championship May 20-23 in Albuquerque, N.M.

Carolina sophomore Kate Thomas, from Murwillumbah, Australia, fired a two-under-par 70 to lead the Tar Heels and is in seventh place. Junior Sydney Crane, an All-ACC performer from Jamestown, N.C., carded a two-over 74 to tie for 39th. Lauren Hunt, a junior from Little River, S.C., posted a four-over 76 to tie for 57th place while senior Ann Laney, from Charlotte, N.C., carded a 77 to tie for 65th and senior Colette Lowe, from Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., shot 79 and is tied for 85th place.

Southern California leads the field of 21 teams after firing a five-under-par 283 on Thursday. The Trojans hold a four-stroke lead over Tulsa which fired a one-under 287. UNLV is in third place at even par 288 while Arkansas is fourth at 291 and Oklahoma State is fifth at 293. Four teams are tied for sixth place at seven-over 295 - Brigham Young, Michigan State, Stanford and California. Arizona rounds out the top 10 after firing a 296, one stroke ahead of the Tar Heels.

Paola Morena of Southern California and Alison Walshe of Arizona are tied for the individual lead after both players fired four-under-par 68s. They hold a one-stroke lead over four players who carded a three-under 69 and are tied for third place - Arkansas' Stacy Lewis, Arizona State's Azahara Munoz, Oklahoma State's Jaclyn Sweeney and UNLV's Therese Koelbaek. Two players are tied for seventh place at two-under 70 - Carolina's Thomas and Tulsa's Michaela Cavener. Nine more players shot under par (71) and are tied for ninth place.

The 54-hole event continues through Saturday. Live scoring throughout the tournament is available on Golfstat.com. The top eight teams and top two individuals not on those eight teams advance on to the NCAA Championship to be played May 20-23 at the University of New Mexico Championship Golf Course in Albuquerque, N.M.