SAFFOLD GUIDES WOMEN'S GOLF TO FIFTH PLACE IN OPENING ROUND OF COUGAR CUP

9/20/2010

PULLMAN, Wash. — Senior Samantha Saffold led the Sacramento State women's golf team with a round of 78 in the first round of the WSU Cougar Cup on Monday at the Palouse Ridge Golf Club.

Saffold was one of two Hornets to finish the round in the top 13 and helped the team to the fifth-best score in the 12-team field. The Hornets shot 320 on the day and are seven strokes behind Montana. Host Washington State is second at 314 while Idaho shot 315 and Gonzaga 316.

Saffold was just two over through her first 10 holes with eight pars and a pair of bogeys. She closed her round with five more pars but also had a bogey and a double-bogey to finish at 6-over. Saffold's score ties her for eighth place with 36-holes remaining. She is four strokes off the pace of Gonzaga's Victoria Fallgren who shot 74 to hold a 1-stroke edge.

Junior Justine Chen shot 79 and is tied for 13th place. Chen opened with a bogey on the first but earned a stroke back with a birdie on the par-4 second. She then parred seven of her next 10 holes but also had three bogeys to stand at 3-over through 11. A triple-bogey on the par-4 12th was followed by back-to-back pars and a birdie on the par-4 15th. Chen ended her day with a par, double-bogey and par.

Sophomore Kercia Brakel carded a round of 81 and is tied for 28th place. Brakel shot 41 on the front with four pars and five bogeys before shooting 40 on the back.

Julie Shutler added a round of 82 for the team's fourth counting score. Shutler was 1-over through seven holes but endured consecutive double-bogeys to make the turn at 41. Two more doubles on the 11th and 12th led to another 41 on the final nine holes.

The three-day tournament continues on Tuesday with the second round.

WSU COUGAR CUP
Palouse Ridge GC • Par 72

TEAM SCORES
1. Montana 313
2. Washington State 314
3. Idaho 315
4. Gonzaga 316
5. SACRAMENTO STATE 317
6. Montana State 321
T7. Nevada 324
T7. Washington 324
9. Washington "B" 326
10. Cal State Fullerton 331
11. Eastern Washington 339
12. Seattle 348

INDIVIDUAL TOP FIVE
1. Victoria Fallgren, GON, 74
T2. Carissa Simmons, UM, 75
T2. Emma Berland, WSU, 75
T2. Teo Poplawski, UI, 75
T2. Karinn Dickinson, UW, 75

SACRAMENTO STATE SCORES
T8. Samantha Saffold 78
T13. Justine Chen 79
T28. Kercia Brakel 81
T35. Julie Shutler 82
T61. Hayley Holloway 91