May 5, 2005
Las Cruces, N.M. -
Despite a challenging day on the course, the Illinois State women's golf team looks to improve in the second round. After the one round of play at the NCAA West Regional tournament in Las Cruces, N.M., the Redbirds sit in 16th with a total of 312.
Leading the Redbirds is Samantha Richdale who is tied for 24th with a one-round total of 75 (36,39). Behind Richdale are teammates Ashlie Rose who is in a tie for 45th with a total of 77 (40,37), Hilary Anderson and Chelsea Bach both are tied for 80th each carding a 80 in round one. Katie Leahn rounds out the line-up for the Redbirds and she sits tied for 100th with a total of 83.
Head coach Ray Kralis is overall pleased with how the Redbirds performed and saw a number of positives in the first round.
"I am overall pleased with how the girls performed today. We got off to a slow start, the girls were a little nervous in the beginning, but once we got on the course they were fine," Kralis said. "We teed off in the afternoon session and the winds starting picking up, making it a little harder to play. But as a team I saw a number of positives and look forward to playing in the second round."
Leading the tournament is Tennessee (291), in second is Southern California (293), and tied for third are Georgia and California (296). Brigham Young is in fifth (298), UNLV and Oregon are tied for sixth (301), and Washington State is in eighth (302). In ninth place is Arizona (303), UCLA and Oklahoma State are tied for 10th (304), and Stanford sits in 12th (306). Tied for 13th is UC Irvine and Colorado State (308), Northwestern in 15th (311), and behind the Redbirds tied for 17th is Denver and Georgia State (317). Oral Roberts and San Francisco are tied for 19th and Portland completes the 21-team group (320).
Kralis is positive heading into the second round tomorrow
"Tomorrow we tee off in the morning, and with a solid team effort we can make a move. We need to have a statement round tomorrow and I am very confident that this group of girls is capable of doing that," Kralis added. "We all are very positive heading into the second round and are excited to get out there tomorrow."
Second round of action from the 2005 NCAA West Regional will continue Friday morning with a tee time of 8:20 a.m.
