April 15, 2000

IOWA CITY, Iowa – The Notre Dame women’s golf team stands in eighth place at the Iowa Intercollegiate, after posting round of 329-318 (647) in Saturday’s action at the par-73 Finkbine Golf Course. The tournament concludes with 18 holes on Sunday.

Michigan (299-306) holds a one-stroke cushion on Northwestern atop the team leaderboard while the host Hawkeyes are just five shots out of the lead. Michigan’s Kim Benedict leads the individual competition with a two-round score of 145.

Notre Dame heads into the final round eight strokes behind Northern Iowa and 10 back of Iowa State.

Junior captain Shane Smith led the Irish on the first day with solid rounds of 77-78, good for a 155 total and a share of 15th in the individual competition. Her classmate Mary Klee chipped in with rounds of 80-83 (163) while the rest of the starting five included a 165 from sophomore Kristin McMurtrie (86-79), a 167 from sophomore Lauren Fuchs (86-81) and junior Danielle Villarosa’s 168 (88-80).

Two Irish freshmen competed as individual entrants, with Shelby Strong carding rounds of 85-90 (175) in her first intercollegiate tournament while Terri Taibl turned in rounds of 88-92 (180).

NOTES: Smith has counted in all eight of her spring rounds and leads the Irish with an 81.63 stroke average during the four spring tournaments … Klein (6 rounds counted) and McMurtrie (7) both are averaging 82.25 for the spring … Villarosa (83.50, 5-of-6 counted) and Fuchs (83.66, 4-of-6) also have turned in solid springs while playing in all four tournaments … Smith has counted in all 17 rounds during 1999-2000 and owns an 80.24 season stroke average, still within range of the Irish record of 79.50 (set by Katie King, in 1997-98) … McMurtrie has counted to the team score in 17 of her 18 rounds during 1999-2000, with an 81.56 average … other 1999-2000 averages include: Klein (81.87, 12-of-15 counted), freshman Priscilla Ro (82.92, 9-of-12), Villarosa (84.63, 16 total rounds, 10-of-14), Fuchs (85.00, 15 total rounds, 4-of-9), junior Becca Schloss (85.09, 11 total rounds, 3-of-7) and Taibl (88.25, 8 total rounds, 2-of-4) … Klein’s career average now sits at 81.40 and she has counted in 49 of 61 career rounds … other career numbers: Smith (82.74, 39 total rounds, 31-of-37), McMurtrie (83.32, 37 total rounds, 26-of-32) and Villarosa (84.92, 36 total rounds, 14-of-22).