MSU roundup: Women's golf in 1st in NCAA Athens Regional
ATHENS, Georgia - The Michigan State women’s golf team leads the NCAA Athens Regional after shooting an opening-round 4-under-par 284 at the University of Georgia Golf Course on Monday. The Spartans were the only school in the 18-team regional to shoot under par on Monday at the par 72, 6,334-yard course. MSU is five strokes ahead of the nation’s second ranked team, Alabama, which shot a 1-over-par 289.
The 284 marks the Spartans’ second-lowest round ever at an NCAA Regional, just one stroke shy of the 283 put up by MSU in the third round of the 2012 NCAA East Regional.
Three Spartans – Sarah Burnham, Katie Sharp and Paz Marfa Sans – finished the day under par and are currently in the top seven of the individual standings.
“We did great job today and when you have a high level of confidence and believe in yourself and each other out on the course, that makes it easier,” MSU head coach Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll said. “When you have teammates that are making birdies and going under par, it drives you to be even better.”
Burnham, the Big Ten Player of the Year, led the Spartans on Monday with a 3-under-par 69 and is tied for second place.
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After a bogey on her second hole of the day, the par-4 11th, Burnham birdied five of the next seven holes and was 3-under-par at the turn. She finished the day birdying two of the final four holes en route to carding her sixth round this season in the 60s.
Sharp is currently in fifth place after a 2-under-par 70. Sharp was 1-over-par after halfway through her round before using four birdies on the back nine to record her second-lowest score of the season.
The Spartans were also aided in a big way on Monday by Marfa Sans, who shot a career-best 1-under-par 71 and is tied for seventh place. Marfa Sans had a steady second half of her round as she recorded four birdies over her final 11 holes and parred the other seven.
“I’m really happy for Paz,” Slobodnik-Stoll said. “She’s such a wonderful young person; you just have to give her so much credit. She works so hard and it’s all coming together for her.”
Fellow rookie Allyson Geer finished day one with a 2-over-par 74, going 1-over-par on both the front and back nine, and is slotted in a tie for 24th place.
Sophomore Carolyn Markley shot a 4-over-par 76 and is tied for 38th place.
Jennifer Kupcho of Wake Forest leads the tournament by one stroke over Burnham after a 4-under-par 68.
Round two of the 54-hole NCAA Athens Regional will get underway Tuesday morning. The Spartans will start their day on the first hole, beginning to tee off at 9:12 a.m.
“We’re just continuing along with the game plan,” Slobodnik-Stoll said. “(Assistant coach) Caroline Powers has played this course so many times and I’ve walked it even more times, so that is a big help.”
Softball: Spartans bank Hoosiers 8-0 to earn No. 7 seed
In the regular-season finale with big implications for both teams, Michigan State posted an 8-0 road victory at Indiana on Monday afternoon.
Lexi White homered twice and Kelly Zackrison had a double and three RBI after entering the game in the fourth as a pinch hitter.
Bridgette Rainey (13-8) earned the victory with three innings of three-hit ball. MSU employed its usual game-three staff-outing strategy, with Kristina Zalewski going the first two innings and allowing three hits without allowing a run. Rainey handled the middle three innings, and freshman Jordan Watson tossed the final two innings without allowing a hit to preserve the shutout.IU starter, Tara Trainer, who stymied the Spartans on Friday in a complete-game three-hitter, allowed the three MSU runs and walked five in her three innings of work and took the loss. Emily Goodin came on to throw the rest of the game, allowing the other five MSU scores.
The Spartans (29-21, 11-12 Big Ten) secure the No. 7 seed in the upcoming Big Ten Tournament. The Spartans will take on a familiar foe, as Indiana is the No. 10 seed; the teams will face off on Thursday in Ann Arbor. The winner of the 7/10 matchup advances to play No. 2 seed and host Michigan at 4:30 on Friday at Alumni Stadium.
MSU’s current total of 29 victories is the most since 2007, when the Spartans finished 33-26.
Michigan State Athletics communication department