Lady Pirates Move Up To Fifth At Insperity Intercollegiate

Wolte Fires 1-Over 73 To Move Into Seventh Place With 18 Holes Remaining

AUGUSTA, Ga. March 16, 2013 - East Carolina carded the fourth-lowest round of the day (294) and moved up four spots into a share of fifth place at the Insperity Lady Jaguar Intercollegiate, which is being held at Augusta State’s Forest Hills Golf Club.

The Pirates, who entered second round action in ninth, got solid play from junior Fanny Wolte (148) and freshman Frida Gustafsson Spang (150) with their 1-over par rounds of 73. Wolte enters final round action on Sunday tied for seventh, while Gustaffson Spang is tied for 16th.

Fanny Wolte

Freshman Nico Engstroem Skaug (154) is tied for 34th after a 7-over par round of 79, while sophomores Emily Eng (159) and Katie Kirk (161) are tied for 55th and 64th heading into final round action.

ECU along with host Augusta State registered the fourth-lowest round of the day and moved into a three-way tie for fifth place with a 36-hole score of 604 with Coastal Carolina and East Tennessee State.

Vanderbilt, the highest-ranked team in the field at No. 9, posted a 5-over 293 and maintained a three-shot advantage over No. 16 Purdue. Notre Dame is in third place, 10 strokes back off the pace, while ASU is fourth.

ASU junior Christine Duschek-Hansen netted four birdies on the back nine and turned in the Lady Jags’ low score of the day with a 1-under 71 to move into a for 20th place. Fellow junior Casey Kennedy inched up to 18th with a 2-over 74. Senior Marit Bjerke managed a 5-over 77 and redshirt freshman Stephanie Bennett notched a 6-over 78. Senior Julia Stalbro and junior Shannon Pak, competing as individuals, signed for rounds of 83 and 84, respectively.

The three-day, 54-hole event features the largest field in the six-year history of the event. Among the 18 teams are ASU, Charleston Southern, Coastal Carolina, East Carolina, East Tennessee State, Georgia State, Illinois, Kennesaw State, Kentucky, Lamar, Maryland, Memphis, Notre Dame, Purdue, Southern Mississippi, Texas, UT San Antonio and Vanderbilt. The field includes six teams ranked in the nation’s top 50 and a total of 99 players will be in action.

UT San Antonio is the defending tournament champion while Purdue’s Paula Reto is back to defend her individual crown. The Roadrunners topped Augusta State by six strokes last spring while Reto fired a tournament-record, 8-under 64 in the final round on March 18, 2012 and won by 10 shots over ASU’s Casey Kennedy with a total of 9-under 207.

Final round action for the Pirates will begin Sunday at 9 a.m. with a shotgun start.