Louisville Leads C-USA Women's Golf Championship

SHALIMAR, Fla. The University of Louisville fired its second-lowest team score of the season Friday to take the first round-lead at the 2000 Conference USA Women's Golf Championship at Shalimar Pointe Golf and Country Club.

Led by junior Katherine Mowat, the Cardinals posted a team total of 298 (+10) to lead the seven-team event by four strokes over second-place Tulane (302) and third-place Memphis (306). South Florida (309), Southern Miss (310), Cincinnati (324) and UAB (333) round out the field.

Mowat fired an opening-round 70 (-2), the tournament's only sub-par round of the day, to claim the individual lead. Cincinnati's Katie Rakel and Memphis' Marianne Ruud are tied for second at 73, while Tulane's Kathy Schafer and Louisville's Jessica Kell are tied for fourth place with a 74.

The Cardinals showed great balance in Friday's round, as four of five players currently rank in the championship's top 14 places. Freshman Cindy Pasechnik and sophomore Lizzy Freemantle are both tied for 14th place with at 77 for the first-year program.

The 54-hole tournament continues through Sunday at Shalimar Pointe Golf and Country Club, a par 72, 5,898-yard layout.