A combination of experience and new talent came to the forefront Monday as the Seattle University women's golf team, playing against many solid Division I programs, finished in a tie for ninth place after the first two rounds of the Bulldog and Eagle Invitational at Hangman Valley Golf Course.
Freshman Shannon Quinn (Shoreline, Wash.) starred in the first collegiate competition of her career, shooting rounds of 76 and 77 to finish the first day in a tie for 12th place at 153 (+9). Lana Cox (San Clemente, Calif.) also shot 76 in the first round and followed that up with an 81 for a two-round total of 157 (+13), currently tied for 28th place.
Kelsey Johnson (Pasco, Wash.) showed consistency, shooting 82 in each round to move into a tie for 50th place with a cumulative score of 164 (+20). Caitlin McCleary (The Dalles, Ore.) enters Tuesday's play in a tie for 54th place after round of 80 and 85 for a total score of 165 (+21), and Lori Pearson (Seattle, Wash.) started her college career with rounds of 82 and 87 to total 169 (+25) and stand in 69th place.
As a team, Seattle University's cumulative score of 639 places the team in a tie with Montana State. Northern Arizona shot 297 in the second round to seize the lead by eight strokes over Montana at the end of the day. SeattleU is only three strokes behind McNeese State, four strokes in back of UC Riverside, and 11 strokes behind sixth-place Portland. Sage Suffecool of Gonzaga shot 70 in the first round and held on to a four-stroke lead at the end of Monday's play with an even-par 144.
Seattle University will compete in the final round of the tournament Tuesday, Sept. 15, with the first SeattleU golfer scheduled to tee off from the tenth tee at 8:34 a.m.