Eastern women’s golf team last played a competitive round of golf on March 26. After the 22-day break from competition, the team was back in action Monday at the first round of the Ohio Valley Conference Women’s Golf Championship Monday at Drake Creek Golf Course in Ledbetter, Ky.The lack of competitive play may have contributed to Eastern’s current seventh place standing at the OVC Championships.Head coach Mike Moncel said senior Chelsea Bach has been No. 1 on the team all season and must continue playing well for Eastern to have a shot at the title. But Bach shot an 18-over par for a first round score of 90.The low round for Eastern was sophomore Carrie Riordan’s seven-over 79 which puts Riordan in a tie for fourth place. Jacksonville State, seeking its third consecutive OVC Championship, finished the first round at 321, good for 33 over par as a team. It has a two-stroke lead ahead of Murray State and Samford. Samford’s freshman Katelyn Stanier’s took the lead on day one with a three-over 75. Jacksonville State freshman Manuela Tarazona and Samford sophomore Kellie O’Connell are tied for second place at six over, which is three strokes back of Stanier.Rounding out Eastern’s scores are Katie Imburgia (88, +16), Jaymie Voorhees (88, +16) and Amy Simons (96, +24).  Eastern’s team score of 345 is 24 strokes behind Jacksonville State.Moncel said Jacksonville State would be a tough opponent because its season stroke averages are low as a team and they have played in many southern tournaments in warmer weather.Jacksonville State head coach James Hobbs said his team’s competitiveness stems from its transition from the Atlantic Sun Conference to the OVC four years ago.”To be competitive (in the Atlantic Sun, JSU’s old conference), we had to recruit hard for good players; international players,” Hobbs said. “We had to be good to compete.”

Golfer

Place

Finish

Katelyn Stanier

1

+3

Kellie O’Connell

T2

+6

Manuela Tarazona 

T2

+6

Carrie Riordan

T4

+7

Bethany Yates 

T4

+7

Andrea Downer 

T6

+8

Mercedes Huarte 

T6

+8

Christi Baron  

T8

+9

Beth Ann Burns   

T8

+9

Rachel Montgomery  

T8

+9

School

Top Golfer

Scoring Average

OVC  Rank

Austin Peay

Staci Lynch 

75.9  

2

Eastern Illinois  

Chelsea Bach  

78.5  

9

Eastern Kentucky 

Melissa Rosloniec

80.6

16

Jacksonville State 

Manuela Tarazona

75.1

1

Murray State 

Andrea Downer

78.2  

T-7

Samford  

Katelyn Stanier  

77.7 

5

Tennessee State 

LaToya Moppins  

92.9

N/A

Tennessee Tech

Madison Denman 

79.9  

11

The trend of recruiting international players continues at Jacksonville State. Only one member of the six-woman team is from the United States. Jacksonville State’s top golfer this year is Tarazona. She leads the OVC in stroke average and competed internationally in the 2004 Women’s World Amateur Team Championships for her home country, Argentina. Tennessee Tech head coach Bobby Nichols said the his team’s preparation for the OVC Championships was to play more rounds during practice and focus on the short game-chipping, pitching and putting. “The putter will forgive a multitude of sins on a golf course,” Nichols said. Hobbs said the course will not separate the field and it should be a competitive tournament. Hobbs said Drake Creek does not play too long, and his team can attack the par 5’s and shorter par 4’s for birdies. Nichols said Drake Creek would be challenging because it has huge, fast greens. “It’s an ideal golf course for women’s golf,” Hobbs said. “If your striking the ball well and playing well you can shoot low, make some birdies.”