March 15, 2007

Snowbird Intercollegiate First Round Results in PDF Format
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Tampa, Fla. -- Northern Illinois senior Lisa Bailey (Decatur, Ill.) entered the clubhouse with a first-round leading score of 75 (+3), as the Huskies are in fifth place after opening day action at the 21^st Annual Snowbird Intercollegiate at Pebble Creek Country Club (par 72, 5,940 yards) on Thursday.

Murray State's Andrea Downer is in second-place with a 76 (+4). Downer is followed by Florida Gulf Coast University's Heather Hagerman (77, +5). Stetson's Lauren Darnell and Danielle Jackson are tied for fourth overall with a 78 (+6).

Huskie junior Abbie Many (Mount Prospect, Ill.) added the other top-10 finish for NIU, as the Mount Prospect, Ill., native is tied for sixth with a 79 (+7). Junior Anne Senn (Mount Prospect, Ill.) is tied for 16^th overall with an 82 (+10).

NIU freshman Kim Hunley (Aurora, Ill.) finished with a 90, while teammate Nicci Schultz (Somonauk, Ill.) added a 91.

"Lisa [Bailey] played much better today," NIU head women's golf coach Pam Tyska said. "She and Abbie Many worked really hard out on the course and they were the shoulders that the Huskies needed to lean on today."

Stetson leads the tournament with an opening-round score of 320 (+32). There is a three-way tie for second place, as Murray State, Eastern Kentucky and Florida Gulf Coast University, each carded scores of 325 (+37). NIU is in fifth place with a 326 (+38), followed by Appalachian State (328, +40), FIT (334, +46) and Western Illinois (349, +61).

"We're only six shots out of the lead, so we're definitely shopping for that fourth score," Tyska said.  "[The title] is within our capabilities. I'm feeling much better about this performance. We've regrouped after Orlando and looking for solid finish tomorrow."  

Final round action is set for an 8 a.m. (CST) shot-gun start on Friday.  

--NIU--