MESA, AZ (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV women's golf team had another solid day Saturday at ASU's Clover Cup tournament, shooting a 5-over 293 to sit in third at even after two rounds at Longbow Golf Club in Mesa.
Three Rebels will head into Sunday's final round in the top seven on the leaderboard, with sophomore
Elina Saksa tied for fifth at 4-under 140 and junior
Veronica Joels and senior
Samantha Fuller in a tie for seventh at 2-under 142. Saksa, who led the field after round one with a career-low 6-under 66, shot a 2-over 74 Saturday, while Joels carded a 2-under 70 and Fuller an even score of 72 in the second round. Freshmen
Gracie Olkowski and
Madeleine Laux are tied for 45th and 57th, respectively, at 8-over (152) and 11-over (155).
Friday's leader Arizona extended its margin to six strokes after shooting a 5-under as a team in round two, followed by host Arizona State in second after its own round of 5-under Saturday. After UNLV in third at even, Houston sits in fourth at 7-over and Oklahoma rounds out the top five at 8-over.
Clemson's Ivy Shepherd started the day in a tie for third at 3-under and bested that round with a 4-under Saturday to move atop the leaderboard at 7-under. Arizona State's Linn Grant carded a second straight round of 69 to trail Shepherd by one stroke, while fellow Sun Devil Alexandra Fosterling and Arizona's YuSang Hou are tied for third at 5-under. Joining Saksa in a tie for fifth is Arizona's Vivian Hou at 4-under with four golfers - including Joels and Fuller - tied for seventh at 2-under.
NEXT FOR THE REBELS: The Rebels will tee off for Sunday's final round beginning at 9 a.m. PT.
Madeleine Laux - 9:03 a.m.;
Gracie Olkowski - 9:12 a.m.;
Veronica Joels - 9:21 a.m.;
Samantha Fuller - 9:30 a.m.;
Elina Saksa 9:39 a.m.
NOTES:
• This is the first time the Rebels have competed in Arizona State's Clover Cup tournament
• The Rebels' 5-under 283 in Friday's first round was a season-best team round
• UNLV has five returners from last year along with two freshmen newcomers -
Madeleine Laux and
Gracie Olkowski
• Head coach
Amy Bush-Herzer is in her 10th year at the helm of the program. She has led her team to a conference championship four times
