Butler Places Second At F&M Bank APSU Intercollegiate

Oct. 25, 2006

Junior Paige McCracken placed third in the final individual standings and helped Butler to a runner-up team finish at the F&M Bank APSU Intercollegiate hosted by Austin Peay State University on Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 23-24. Belmont came from behind on the final day to claim the team title in the 14-team event held at Clarksville Country Club.

McCracken shot back-to-back rounds of 79 to finish with a 36-hole total of 158. She finished four strokes behind runner-up Lorie Warren of Belmont and 12 strokes back of medalist Staci Lynch of Austin Peay. McCracken was one of just four golfers to break 80 in the first round and one of nine golfers to come in under 80 on the final day.

Butler teammates Lauren Showers and Niki Garden tied for ninth in the tournament with two-day scores of 162. Showers opened with an 80, before shooting an 82 on the final day. Garden reversed those scores with an 82 on the first day and an 80 on the second.

Sarah Swanson finished one stroke back in a tie for 11th place with rounds of 81 and 82, while Amanda Moreman came in 64th with scores of 98 and 88.

Butler, the tournament's defending champion, led the meet after the first day with a team score of 322. But Belmont put on a strong charge in the final round and outscored the Bulldogs by six strokes, 317-323, to win the crown by four strokes. Wofford finished third, 11 strokes behind the Bulldogs.

TEAM SCORES: 1. Belmont, 641; 2. Butler, 645; 3. Wofford, 656; 4. Eastern Illinois, 659; 5. Austin Peay, 660; 6. Samford, 665; 7. Tennessee Tech, 674; 8. IPFW, 675; 9. Murray State, 679; Evansville, 679; 11. Lipscomb, 683; 12. Dayton, 709; IUPUI, 710; 14. Tennessee State, 775.