Women's Golf in middle of field at packed Big Sky tuneup

By JORDAN FREEMYER
UNCBears.com

CHANDLER, Ariz. -- The Northern Colorado women's golf team is tied for 13th after Monday's first round of the 2012 Wyoming Cowgirl Classic at Ocotillo Golf Resort.

The Bears shot 306 (+18) as a team, putting them in the middle of the packed 24-team field, which is the largest they will see this season. The event will continue with 18 rounds tomorrow and Wednesday.

"I feel like we played pretty well today," Northern Colorado coach Brandon White said. "Everybody really played pretty good for the most part today. I actually feel like our score that we shot doesn't show how well we played.

"We gave up a few shots on our last three-to-six holes, so, tomorrow we need to do a better job of finishing strong and not giving up shots on our last few holes."

The field includes eight Big Sky Conference teams who are preparing for the Big Sky Conference Women's Golf Championship, which will take place Ocotillo from April 22 to 24. Among the Big Sky teams, Northern Colorado is third, three shots behind Portland State and 12 back of Sacramento State.

For the first time this spring Monday Northern Colorado counted four scores under 80. That's something White said he saw as a big step forward.

"I'm pleased with the way the team is coming together," he said. "I feel like the pieces to the puzzle are finally starting to fit. Hopefully we'll have a couple good rounds these next two days and move up the leaderboard a little bit."

Northern Colorado junior Carleigh Silvers led the charge for the Bears, shooting a 2-over-par 74 to put herself in a tie for 14th.

Senior Ali Nelson shot a 4-over 76, her second-best round of the season, and is tied for 37th.

"Carleigh Silvers did another great job," White said. "She put a good round together. [She] just had one big number in the middle of the round that hurt her. Otherwise she was solid all day."

Senior Chelsea Silvers is in a tie for 52nd after her opening-round 77 (+5), and junior Hannah McNeley had Northern Colorado's fourth counting score, a 7-over 79, and is tied for 76th.

Junior Libby Avery rounded out the Bears' effort with an 80 (+8), which put her in a tie for 87th.

'Overall, in the lineup, one through five, we did a good job, and that's what we're looking for," White said.