Sept. 14, 1997

Melby, King, Klee Lead Irish Women to Fourth-Place in Season Opener

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Senior co-captain Tracy Melby and sophomore Andrea Klee finished tied for 10th while senior co-captain Katie King fired a team-best 79 in Sunday's final round as the University of Notre Dame women's golf team held its position for a fourth-place finish at the Spartan Invitational, held at the par-72, 5,819-yard Forest Akers West Course.

Melby fired an 82 Sunday, after matching 79s on Saturday, to finish in a four-way tie for 10th among the 91-player field (240). Klee continued her clutch play by firing a final-round 81 to join Melby among the top-13 finishers. King, who opened with an 82 in Saturday's morning round, carded her second straight 79 to finish one shot behind her teammates in a tie for 14th (241).

Notre Dame--seeking to make a move this year within the region and possibly challenge for an NCAA Tournament berth--totaled 325 in the final round, after scores of 320 and 323 on Saturday, thus failing to make up ground on third-place Iowa (which shot 310 on Sunday to best the Irish by 22 strokes). The Irish held off Michigan (974), which fired a final-round 318. Indiana took the team title (909), outdistancing host Michigan State by 25 strokes.

Notre Dame sophomore Beth Cooper (81-86-84) and freshman Mary Klein (81-85-85) finished tied for 38th while sophomore Brigid Fisher saved the Irish two strokes with a final-round 83, to finish at 259.

Two Notre Dame freshmen competed as individuals, with Becca Schloss turning in a consistent 85-84-83 effort while Danielle Villarosa had rounds of 92-83-89.

King and Melby--the #1 and #2 career stoke average leaders in Notre Dame women's golf history--remain with near-identical career numbers. Each has played in 72 career rounds, with King totaling just nine fewer shots over the course of those three-plus years of intercollegiate tournaments. King's Irish-best career stroke average now stands at 82.01 while Melby trails closely behind, at 82.14.

FINAL TEAM RESULTS (54 holes):
 1. Indiana 307-302-300/909  
 2. Michigan State 316-307-311/934  
 3. Iowa 324-312-310/946  
 4. Notre Dame 320-323-325/968  
 5. Michigan 326-330-318/974  
 6. Ohio 334-324-328/986  
 7. Toledo 337-331-332/990  
 8. Bowling Green 327-324-340/991  
 9. Tri-State 342-330  
10. Xavier 352-331-329/1012  
11. Franklin 346-335-338/1019  
12. Cincinnati 346-348-333/1026  
13. Ferris State 353-344-340/1037  
14. Indianapolis 356-366-338/1060  
15. Alma 38-382-382/1144.

TOP INDIVIDUALS (of 91): 
1. Kasey Gant, MSU, 71-75-70/126
2. Erin Carney, IND, 76-73-73/222
3. M.C. Mullen, IOWA, 76-74-74 
4. Michelle Hatfield, IND, 78-75-73/226  
5. Jenny Gray, IND, 75-76-77/228
6. Julee Sovesky, OHIO, 76-79-78/233  
7. Sharon Park, MICH, 76-82-77/235
8. Therese McDermott, IND, 78-78-79/235 
9. Kate Kolenski, BG, 77-76-85/238
10. Tracy Melby, ND, 79-79-82/240
    Andre Klee, ND, 79-80-81/240
    Heather Fueger, OHIO, 81-80-79/240
    April Holly, MSU, 81-78-81/240.

OTHER NOTRE DAME SCORES: 
14. Katie King 83-79-79/241  
38. Beth Cooper 81-86-84/251  
38. Mary Klein 81-85-85/259 
... competing as individuals: 
40. Becca Schloss 85-84-83/252 
66. Danielle Villarosa 92-83-89/264.