April 7, 2012

Golden Eagles at Samford Intercollegiate for final OVC Tourney tuneup

This week's play in the Samford Intercollegiate is the final tuneup for the Tennessee Tech women's golf team before the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament.

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- The Samford Intercollegiate is the final tuneup for the Tennessee Tech women's golf team before the Ohio Valley Conference tournament later this month. Tech is one of just two OVC schools in the 10-team field, which tees off Monday morning at the Limestone Springs Golf Club in Oneonta, Ala.

The Jerry Pate-designed course will play to 6,457 yards with a par 72. Teams are scheduled to play two rounds Monday, them wrap up with a final 18 holes on Tuesday.

Defending champ and host Samford will welcome Tech and Jacksonville State from the OVC, along with Florida Southern, Louisiana-Monroe, Middle Tennessee, Newberry, South Alabama, Troy and UAB.

The Tech women have already played in four tournaments during the spring, including the Belmont Invitational last week in which sophomore Amber Shepherd earned all-tourmament honors with a fifth-place finish.

Tech opened play this spring a with a second-place effort at the Birmingham Southern Ann Rhoads Invitational, Feb. 19-20. The Golden Eagles then played in back-to-back tournaments in the Carolinas, placing 15th at the Pinehurst challenge, March 19-20, and 14th at the Low Country Intercollegiate, March 25-26.

Junior Katherine Bell, who withdrew from the Belmont event due to illness, is expected back on the course Monday for the Golden Eagles. She owns the low average among active players this year at 79.7 in 18 rounds of tourney competition. Brandy VanEtten is next at 80.3 and Shepherd is third at 81.5.

Complete results will be posted each day on TTUsports.com when they become available.