April 16, 2008

El Paso, Texas - After a tough day on the course yesterday, the Southern Miss women's golf team bounced back today, finishing in seventh place at the Conference USA Women's Golf Championships. The tournament was played at Butterfield Trail Golf Club in El Paso, Texas.

Freshman Virginia Espejo finished in a tie for 11th-place, shooting a final round 77 to close with 234 strokes. It was the highest finish by a Lady Eagle in the Conference USA Championship since Jennifer Keefe finished in a tie for seventh in 2004.

Sophomore Rebecka Nilsson closed with a seven-over 79, earning a 16th-place finish with 236 strokes. Sophomore Clara Viladomiu, a co-leader after Round One, shot a final round 89 to finish with 246 strokes and a tie for 32nd-place.

Sophomore Samantha Holt tied for 34th-place after shooting an 87 for a total score of 248. Freshman Jennifer Judge rounds out the scoring for Southern Miss, shooting a 79 (252) to finish in 39th-place.

Woeri Shin of Tulsa won the individual competition with a four-over 220. Memphis' Alexa Porter and Leisl Hasbrouck of Tulsa tied for second with a ten-over 226.

Tulsa won the team competition with a final score of 904 strokes (304-297-303), 18 shots ahead of East Carolina (303-305-922). SMU finished in third with 932 strokes (303-304-314), with UCF in fourth at 945 strokes (308-310-328). Memphis earned a fifth-place finish with 951 strokes (303-321-324). UTEP finished sixth with 953 strokes (306-321-329), while Southern Miss finished one stroke back (954) in seventh place (309-318-322). UAB (306-321-334 - 961) and Marshall (316-338-339 - 993) round out the scoring.