WOMEN'S GOLF TIED FOR SECOND, CHEN TIED FOR THIRD AT BIG SKY CHAMPIONSHIP

4/21/2009

CHANDLER, Ariz. — Freshman Justine Chen shot 75 during the second round of the Big Sky Conference Women's Golf Championship and is tied for third place heading into Wednesday's final round. Sacramento State is tied for second as a team.

Chen, who was the Big Sky Freshman of the Year, shot 37 on the front and 38 on the back to move into a four-way for third. She is three strokes behind Northern Arizona's Ali Carter and Alexa Kim for the top spot. On Tuesday, Chen's round featured two birdies, 11 pars and five bogeys.

Junior Brooke Green moved into a tie for 12th place after carding a round of 77. Green began her round with five consecutive pars before back-to-back bogeys moved her to 2-over. She followed with a par on the eighth and birdied the par-4 ninth to make the turn at 37. On the back nine, Green parred three of the first four holes (with a bogey) but was knocked off track with a double bogey on the par-4 14th. She ended her round with pars on three of the final four holes.

Freshman Julie Shutler shot 79 during the second round and dropped to a tie for eighth place. Shutler was even through the first seven holes but then played the next seven holes at 7-over before closing with four consecutive pars.

Like Shutler, sophomore Samantha Saffold began strong with two birdies on the first four holes. Saffold stood at 2-over through 13 but played the last five holes at 8-over to end with an 82.

Junior Annie Becker is tied for 20th following a round of 81 on Tuesday. Becker tallied a birdie and nine pars during her round while shooting 42 on the front and 39 on the back.

Northern Arizona, which led by 10 strokes following the first day, extended its lead to 13. The Lumberjacks have a two-round total of 607 and are only in reach of Sacramento State and Weber State. WSU had the best team score of the day with a round of 305. The Hornets' total of 312 was largely due to their struggles over the final five holes where they were 18-over.

The tournament concludes on Wednesday morning at the Ocotillo Golf Resort.

TEAM SCORES
1. Northern Arizona 298-309-607
T2. Sacramento State 308-312-620
T2. Weber State 315-305-320
4. Montana 312-317-629
5. Portland State 312-319-631
6. Northern Colorado 324-317-641
7. Montana State 331-314-645
8. Eastern Washington 335-320-655
9. Idaho State 324-341-665

INDIVIDUAL TOP FIVE
T1. Ali Carter, NAU, 75-73-148
T1. Alexa Kim, NAU, 72-76-148
T3. Justine Chen, SAC, 76-75-151
T3. Ali Nelson, NCOL, 77-74-151
T3. Carissa Simmons, UM, 75-76-151
T3. Natalie Weber, WSU, 77-74-151

SACRAMENTO STATE SCORES
T3. Justine Chen 76-75-151
T8. Julie Shutler 76-79-155
T12. Brooke Green 79-77-156
T18. Samantha Saffold 77-82-159
T20. Annie Becker 79-81-160