NEWTON, Kan. – Senior Kiley Walsh sits in a tie for 13th place on the individual leaderboard, after shooting an 8-over-par 152 (80-72) Monday over the first two rounds of Wichita State's Missouri Valley Conference Preview at the par-72, 7,200-yard Sand Creek Station Golf Course in Newton, Kansas.
The Redbirds currently sit in a tie for seventh place in the 11-team field with a two round score of 624 (318-306). Illinois State was in eighth place after the first 18 holes. Wichita State leads the event with a 598 (304-294), nine strokes ahead of second-place Indiana State.
Walsh carded an 80 (41-39) in the first round, which included one birdie. Walsh followed up her first round with a 1-over-par 73 (36-36) in the second round and produced three birdies. The senior birdied the par-4, 18th hole in both rounds.
Freshman Tatum King shot a 155 (79-76), landing her in a tie for 20th place. King started her first round with a 4-over-par 40, then tallied a 3-over-par 39 on the back nine. King finished with a 4-over-par 76 (39-37) in the second round and produced two birdies, with one coming on each side.
Junior Caitlin Sims ended the day with a 159 (81-78). After starting the day with an 81 (42-39), which included a 3-over-par 39 on the back nine, Sims bounced back in her second round. The junior produced two birdies on the back nine, as she shot a 6-over-par 78 (41-37).
Senior Abby Luchtenburg and sophomore Morgan Savage rounded out the scoring for Illinois Stare in the first two rounds. Luchtenburg finished the first day of the event with a 161 (78-83). She tallied a pair of 3-over-par 39s in the first round and produced two birdies on the back nine. Luchtenburg's 83 (40-43) in the second round did not count towards the teams total. Savage concluded the day at 165 (85-80). Savage's 85 (42-43) did not count towards the team's total in the first round. In the second round, Savage birdied four holes and finished with an 80 (39-41).
The Redbirds also had three student-athletes competing as individuals. Sophomore Paige Seiser finished with a 161 (81-80). Seiser's 80 (40-40) in the second round included three birdies. Junior Leia Atas ended the day one stroke behind Seiser with a 162 (82-80), while freshman Maria Jose Rojas finished with a 169 (89-80).
"We still cannot seem to start an event without digging ourselves into a huge hole," said head coach Darby Sligh. "This has been a struggle for us all season. We did bounce back in the afternoon led by Walsh and King. We need to come out tomorrow with a clear purpose and leave our fear in the bus. We have to manage our emotions better and execute under pressure. This squad has a lot left to prove."
ISU concludes its fall season Tuesday with the third and final round, which begins with a shotgun start at 8:30 a.m. CT.
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