Lopers Tied for 11th, Just Eight Strokes Out of Fourth Place
Kearney, Neb. – The 56th-ranked Nebraska Kearney women's golf team saw all five players shoot between 74 and 78 on the first day of the 2023 NCAA Division II Championships Tuesday in Eureka, Mo. The start of a long week was delayed by two hours due to the weather. The 18-team field, plus eight individuals, are playing the par 72 Fox Run G.C. (6,187 yards) just outside of St. Louis. The top eight teams after Thursday's third round advance to a match play bracket. UNK's 303 has them in that race as it is just eight strokes out of fourth place. The Lopers also are ahead of five Top 41 teams including Central Region rivals Augustana and Henderson (Ark.) State. Third-ranked Nova Southeastern (Fla.) managed a 4-under par 284 to lead the field by eight strokes. The Sharks are 1-2-3 in the individual race led by Olivia Gronborg (4-under par 68). The other 17 teams are separated by just 22 strokes. The Lopers are tied for 11th place along with 28th-ranked Tiffin (Ohio). Individually, Arizona senior Paige Lucero remained hot as she had a team-best 74 (37-37) thanks to three birdies and 10 pars. In the regional tournament last week, she recorded career-bests for 18 holes (72) and 54 holes (223). Lucero is tied for 23rd-place with Kansas sophomore Brooke King a stroke back (39-36) in 34th. She also carded three birdies and had three straight pars on the back nine. Next, both Kansas junior Allison Comer (40-37) and Colombian sophomore Juliana Botero Molina (38-39) shot a 77. Comer's day included one birdies and 11 pars with Botero Molina having seven straight pars on the front nine. Finally, Puerto Rico senior Faviola Gonzalez is tied for 65th with a 78 (42-36). Her final five holes of the day included a birdies and four pars. UNK tees off at 8 a.m. on Wednesday with no rain expected the rest of the week.
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