SHUTLER AND CHEN LEAD WOMEN'S GOLF IN FIRST ROUND OF BIG SKY CHAMPIONSHIP
4/20/2009
CHANDLER, Ariz. — Led by a pair of freshmen, the Sacramento State women's golf team is in second place following the first day of the Big Sky Conference Championship, Monday at the Ocotllo Golf Resort. The Hornets received rounds of 76 from Justine Chen and Julie Shutler and are 10 strokes off the pace of Northern Arizona.
As a team, Sacramento State shot 308 during the early morning round. All five members of the squad shot between 76 and 79. The Hornets are four strokes ahead of defending conference champion Portland State and Montana with two rounds to play.
Chen was the first Hornet off this morning and responded by tying for the low round on the team. The Palm Desert, Calif., native posted 38 on both sides of the course. Her round featured one birdie and five bogeys.
Fellow freshman Julie Shutler posted a 37 on the front nine. Shutler birdied the par-5 first hole and added a birdie on the par-4 eighth to go along with three bogeys. On the back, she carded five consecutive pars before double-bogeying the par-4 15th and bogeying the par-4 17th for a 39.
Sophomore Samantha Saffold is one stroke behind the pair and is tied for eighth place. Saffold began slowly, standing at 5-over through the first eight holes. However, a birdie on the par-4 ninth started a run which put her 3-over heading into the 18th. During the stretch, she birdied the par-3 12th and the par-4 14th as well as adding five pars. The Sacramento native ran into some trouble on the final hole and closed with a double-bogey seven.
Juniors Annie Becker and Brooke Green both recorded rounds of 79. Becker shot 40 on the front and 39 on the back with one birdie and eight bogeys. Green had the best opening nine holes on the team with an even-par 36. Green birdied the par-4 fifth and the par-5 sixth to leave her tied for the lead at the turn. The back nine was not as kind as she had five bogeys and a double-bogey to finish with a 43.
Northern Arizona's Alexa Kim holds the individual lead with a even-par 72. Fellow Lumberjack Bethany Leclair is second at 74 and is one stroke ahead of a trio of golfers who are tied for third.
BIG SKY WOMEN'S GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS
Ocotillo Golf Resort/Chandler, Ariz.
TEAM SCORES
1. Northern Arizona 298 2. Sacramento State 308
T3. Portland State 312
T3. Montana 312
5. Weber State 315
T6. Northern Colorado 324
T6. Idaho State 324
8. Montana State 331
9. Eastern Washington 335
INDIVIDUAL TOP FIVE
1. Alexa Kim, NAU, 72
2. Bethany Leclair, NAU, 74
T3. Ali Carter, NAU, 75
T3. Carissa Simmons, UM, 75 T5. Justine Chen, SAC, 76
T5. Julie Shuter, SAC, 76 T5. Danielle Ranallo, PSU, 76
CHANDLER, Ariz. — Led by a pair of freshmen, the Sacramento State women's golf team is in second place following the first day of the Big Sky Conference Championship, Monday at the Ocotllo Golf Resort. The Hornets received rounds of 76 from 
