Women's golf tied for sixth at Texas Tech

LUBBOCK, Texas - The Middle Tennessee women's golf team is tied for sixth after two rounds of the McHaney/Morehead Invitational at Texas Tech's Rawls Course.

The Blue Raiders are tied with Missouri for sixth after shooting 625 during Monday's 36 holes on the par-73 layout. They are 10 shots behind fifth-place Nebraska (615). Baylor leads the 12-team field with a 23-over 607, followed by Texas Tech (610), UALR (611) and Colorado (614).

"The Rawls Course is a difficult course and it is playing tough," Middle Tennessee coach Chris Adams said. "The winds and greens are tricky so Monday was a day when you had to battle and stick with it and I was proud of the way we did that today. They really battled and didn't let up under tough conditions and we had some good numbers.

"Everybody is stepping up for us at different times so when we get everyone stepping up to the plate at the same time, or at least a majority at the same time, then I believe we are going to be able to do some good things."

Sophomore Morgan Hale was the most recent player to step to the forefront for the Blue Raiders who already have received significant contributions from Mallory Bishop and Leigh Wilkins this season. Freshmen standouts Stephanie Gough and Karisa Akin have become mainstays in the lineup.

Hale was the embodiment of Middle Tennessee's grit as conditions become more difficult throughout the day. She battled back from an 8-over 81 in the first round with a 1-over 74 in the second. She leads the Blue Raiders and is tied for 17th overall entering Tuesday's final round.

Gough's played the course even at 73 in the first round to turn in Middle Tennessee's low score of the first two rounds. She closed at 10-over and is tied for 21st, along with teammate Mallory Bishop, at 10-over 156. Bishop was another Blue Raider who improved her score with a 76 in the second round after turning in an 80 in the opening 18 holes.

Akin and Wilkins also improved their scores from the first round to the second. They each shot 162 in the first two rounds.

McHaney/Morehead Invitational
Rawls Course, Par-73
Second round team scores
1 Baylor 302-305 607 +23
2 Texas Tech 303-307 610 +26
3 UALR 303-308 611 +27
4 Colorado 313-301 614 +30
5 Nebraska 312-303 615 +31
T6 Middle Tennessee 317-308 625 +41
T6 Missouri 315-310 625 +41
8 Kansas 313-316 629 +45
9 Redlands CC 322-310 632 +48
10 Texas San Antonio 325-313 638 +54
11 North Texas 315-326 641 +57
12 Sam Houston St. 334-315 649 +65

T6 MT Scores 624
T17 Morgan Hale 81-74 155 +9
T21 Mallory Bishop 80-76 156 +10
T21 Stephanie Gough 73-83 156 +10
T51 Karisa Akin 83-79 162 +16
T51 Leigh Wilkins 83-79 162 +16