RESULTS

FARRAGUT, Tenn.---The 17th-ranked University of Tennessee at Chattanooga women's golf team is in fourth place at the Mercedes-Benz Women's Championship at Fox Den Country Club just outside of Knoxville, Tenn.  The Lady Mocs shot 300 (+12) to stand in the midst of nine teams within eight shots of each other.

No. 18 Tennessee, the tournament's host, is comfortably in first place after a five-under par 283 giving it a 13-shot cushion over the second-place duo of Kent State and No. 22 Louisville at 296 (+8).  After Chattanooga, No. 24 South Carolina and North Carolina State are tied for fifth at 302.

Junior Emma de Groot had the low round for the Lady Mocs with a one-over par 73 and is tied for eighth overall.  Senior Kayla Stewart and sophomore Maria Salinas are tied for 14th with two-over par 74s.  Sophomore Maria Juliana Loza rounded out the team scoring with a 79 (+7).

The Lady Vols Diana Cantu leads the event after a 69 (-3).  She leads teammate Ginny Brown who carded a 70 (-2) by one shot.

LEADERBOARD

1) No. 18 Tennessee - 283 (-5)
T2) Kent State - 296 (+8)
T2) No. 17 Louisville - 296 (+8)
4) No. 17 CHATTANOOGA - 300 (+12)
T5) No. 24 South Carolina - 302 (+14)
T5) N.C. State - 302 (+14)
T7) No. 12 Florida - 304 (+16)
T7) Arkansas - 304 (+16)
T7) No. 20 Tulane - 304 (+16)
T10) No. 7 LSU - 306 (+18)
T10) No. 9 Ohio State - 306 (+18)
T10) Notre Dame - 306 (+18)
T13) Texas-San Antonio - 309 (+21)
T13) Ole Miss - 309 (+21)
15) Furman - 310 (+22)
16) No. 19 Wake Forest - 312 (+24)
17) TCU - 314 (+26)
18) Kentucky - 322 (+34)

LADY MOCS:

T8) Emma de Groot - 73 (+1)
T14) Kayla Stewart - 74 (+2)
T14) Maria Salinas - 74 (+2)
T63) Maria Juliana Loza - 79 (+7)
T80) Christine Wolf - 80 (+8)

NOTES:

>Chattanooga played with Louisville and Furman in round one.

>Senior Kayla Stewart tied her season-low round with her 74 today.  Stewart  has twice shot 74s this season (Hooters Match Play Qualifying Round 1/Bettie Lou Evans Fall Invitational Round 2).

>Emma de Groot has shot 74 or better in six straight rounds.  She was three-under par today through 15 holes but had a hiccup on the way in to shoot 73 with double bogeys on 16 and 18.  She led the Lady Mocs with a season-best five birdies tying Christine Wolf's team-best total from the first and third rounds of the Golfweek Conference Challenge.

>Maria Salinas played solid despite battling a back injury.  Her two-over par 74 included two birdies and 12 pars, which tied Stewart for team-high honors.  In 144 holes this season, Salinas has carded just one score higher than a bogey.

>Christine Wolf had the day's drop score with an 80.

>Chattanooga made the turn at three-over par, but played the back nine at plus seven.

>Birdies (Round 1/2/3):  10 (10/-/-).  de Groot 5 (5/-/-), Salinas 2 (2/-/-), Stewart 2 (2/-/-), Maju Loza 1 (1/-/-), Wolf 1 (1/-/-).  Total number by counting scores.

>Pars:  43 (43/-/-).  Salinas 12 (12/-/-), Stewart 12 (12/-/-), Loza 10 (10/-/-), de Groot 9 (9/-/-) and Wolf 9 (9/-/-).

>Percentage of par/better holes (counters):  73.6% (53/72) in round one.  de Groot 77.8% (14/18), Salinas 77.8% (14/18), Stewart 77.8% (14/18), Loza 61.1% (11/18), Wolf 55.6% (10/18).