May 8, 2015

Round 2 Results

RALEIGH, N.C. – Top-seeded South Carolina carded the only under-par round of the day to take the lead on the second day of the NCAA East Regional. Led by junior Sarah Schmelzel’s 3-under 69, the Gamecocks went 2-under (286) on Friday to jump from sixth to first with a two-round score of 581 (+5). South Carolina will enter the final round at NC State’s Lonnie Poole Golf Course with an eight-stroke lead over Alabama.

Schmelzel couldn’t do much wrong to start the day, going 5-under in her first seven holes. The stretch included an eagle on the par-five No. 7. The Gamecock made the turn at 4-under and again got to 5-under on the back nine, but posted a double bogey on No. 16. She finished the day at 3-under and jumped into a tie for third place with a 36-hole score of 143 (-1).

Junior Mary Fran Hillow had a strong day as well, carding a score of 71 (-1). Hillow holed three birdies on the back nine and owns a two-round total of 147 (+3) to climb 34 places to tie for 14th. Hillow is one of three Gamecocks in the top 15 after two rounds of play.

Both senior Justine Dreher and sophomore Katelyn Dambaugh turned in rounds of 73 (+1) today. Dreher is even for the tournament (144) and tie for fifth. Dambaugh rebounded from a difficult day yesterday with a solid second round. Her two-round total of 151 (+7) is T37th entering the final round.

The Gamecocks dropped sophomore Jia Xin Yang’s score of 78 (+6) today. She is in 43rd place (+8).

In the team race, Alabama (+13) and LSU (+16) are behind South Carolina (+5). Surging Coastal Carolina (+17) and Northwestern (+18) round out the top five.

LSU’s Madeline Sagstrom holds the individual lead at 6-under. Alabama’s Emma Talley is two strokes back at 4-under. Schmelzel and Coastal Carolina’s Lena Schaeffner are tied for third at 1-under while Dreher is tied with three others for fifth at even par.

NOTABLES

• The Gamecocks have three golfers in the top 15 entering the final day of competition.
• South Carolina’s round of 286 is the lowest round of the tournament.
• Schmelzel’s eagle on No. 7 was the second eagle of the tournament for South Carolina after Dreher carded one on No. 16 yesterday.

UP NEXT Tomorrow, the Gamecocks will look to capture their third NCAA Regional crown since 2010. It will be an all-SEC affair in the final group as South Carolina will tee off with Alabama and LSU in the final round of the NCAA East Regional beginning at 9:09 a.m. Follow live scoring here.

SOUTH CAROLINA RESULTS

T3. Sarah Schmelzel 74-69=143 (-1)
T5. Justine Dreher 71-73= 144 (E)
T14. Mary Fran Hillow 76-71=147 (+3)
T37. Katelyn Dambaugh 78-73=151 (+7)
T43. Jia Xin Yang 74-78=152 (+8)

TEAM STANDINGS 1. South Carolina 295-286=581 (+5)
2. Alabama 294-295=589 (+13)
3. LSU 288-304=592 (+16)
4. Coastal Carolina 303-290=593 (+17)
5. Northwestern 302-292=594 (+18)
T6. Ohio State 292-304=596 (+20)
T6. NC State 290-306=596 (+20)
8. Campbell 293-305=598 (+22)
9. UCF 296-303=599 (+23)
T10. Furman 298-308=606 (+30)
T10. Florida 299-307=606 (+30)
T10. Mississippi State 300-306=606 (+30)
T10. Iowa State 303-303=606 (+30)
14. College of Charleston 304-305=609 (+33)
15. GRU Augusta 303-309=612 (+36)
16. Wichita State 312-312=624 (+48)
17. Seton Hall 309-318=627 (+51)
18. Fairleigh Dickinson 328-331=659 (+83)