CLARSKVILLE, Tenn.-Austin Peay State University women's golf team sits in 11th and 12th place after the first round of the F&M Bank APSU Intercollegiate, being played at the Clarksville Country Club.
Unfortunately for the Lady Govs, the qualifying team, the White team, is behind the Red team. The Red team, led by senior Angelina Manzitto's 82 and junior Catie Tucker's 83, shot an opening-round 335. Meanwhile, the White team, led by senior Staci Lynch's 80, is three strokes behind at 338.
"I am not surprised that the Red team shot better than the White because in our qualifying there is always just one or two strokes difference fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth place scores.
"However, I am disappointed with our score. We have played a lot of qualifying rounds out there and I think the worst round we have had all year is 318. I think with this being our home tournament the girls put too much pressure on themselves and wanting to playing well. We have to learn to leave everything in the clubhouse except for the shot we are on. We have to play shot for shot on the golf course-play in the moment and not in the past and not in the future. Hopefully, that will help us play to our capabilities in the future."
Fellow Ohio Valley Conference school Morehead State leads the tourney after the first round after shooting a 316 on the par-72, 5,960-yard course. Houston Baptist is in second place at 320 while Butler is in third at 322 with Tennessee Tech one stroke behind in the 17-team tournament.
Three OVC golfers are atop the leaderboard individually as well, with Morehead State's Marisa Kamelgarn and Murray State Andrea Downer leading at 75 while Eastern Kentucky's Lisanne Schmidt is in a group of four tied in third at 77.
Lynch is in a 14th-place tie after the first round. However, no one else from the White team was in the Top 40-junior Chelsa Harris (85, t44th), freshman Tabitha Beard (86, t51st), junior Ashley Wathen (87, t57th) and senior Beth Ann Burns (90, t77).
Manzitto is tied for 23rd after her 82 for the Ted team while Tucker is tied for 29th with her 83rd. Freshman Catherine Smith came in at 84 (t36th) while another freshman Holly Batey had an 86 (t51st) followed by Ashley Averitt at 89 (t71st).
The tourney will conclude Tuesday with an 8:30 a.m. shotgun start.
-AP-
