Oct. 21, 2005

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Junior Mary Ellen Jacobs fired a one-over par 72 as the Tulane women's golf team finished Friday's first round of the Mercedes-Benz Women's Collegiate Championship tied for 10th overall at Cherokee Country Club.

Jacobs sits in a tie for seventh-place in a field that has three players tied for the lead at one-under and a three-way tie for fourth at even par.

Junior All-American Alison Walshe shot a 78 on the day and is tied for 40th while seniors Jessica Issler and Liliana Alverez each notched an eight-over par 78 to tie for 50th. Rookie Kasi Lee rounded out the Wave's top five, turning in an 88 to conclude the day at 75th.

As a team, Tulane finds itself in a tie for 10th with host Tennessee as both schools shot 308 on the afternoon. Sixth-ranked Purdue leads the field after turning in the lowest opening round score of the tournament's nine years, four-over par 288. Kent State and Michigan State are tied for second, six strokes behind Purdue.

Two Boilermakers, Onnarin Sattayabanphot and Whitney Frykman, share the lead at one-under par with Arkansas' Amanda McCurdy. Right one their heels at par are Kent State's Tara Delaney, Camilla Lennarth of the Swedish Jr. National team and Georgia's Whitney Wade.

The Green Wave returns to the links for the second round of the Mercedes-Benz Women's Collegiate Championship at 8:30 a.m. (CST) Saturday morning. The tournament concludes with the final round on Sunday in Knoxville.

Team Scores: 1. Purdue 288 (+4); 2. Michigan State 294 (+10); 3. Kent State 296 (+12); T4. Swedish Jr. Nationals 297 (+13); T4. Georgia 297 (+13); 6. Arkansas, 300 (+16); 7. Southern Methodist 304 (+20); 8. North Carolina 305 (+21); 9. Penn State 306 (+22); T10. Tennessee 308 (+24); T10. Tulane 308 (+24); 12. Northwestern 310 (+26); 13. Ohio State 313 (+29); 14. Alabama 322 (+38)

Individual Leaders: T1. Whitney Frykman (Purdue) 70 (−1); T1. Amanda McCurdy (Arkansas,) 70 (−1); T1. Onnarin Sattayabanphot( Purdue) 70 (−1); T4. Tara Delaney (Kent State) 71 (E); T4. Camilla Lennarth (Swedish Jr. Nationals ) 71 (E); T4. Whitney Wade (Georgia) 71 (E).

Tulane Scores: T7. Mary Ellen Jacobs 72 (+1); T40. Alison Walshe 78 (+7); T50. Jessica Issler 79 (+8); T50. Liliana Alvarez 79 (+8); 75. Kasi Lee 88 (+17)