LAKELAND, Fla. – With freshman Kennedy McGaha firing a second-round 3-under-par 69 to go alongside Anna Freeman and Zoey Iglesias' season-best rounds, the sixth-ranked Anderson women's golf team is in third place following the opening day of the Lady Moc Classic, Monday.
Florida Southern is hosting the two-day, 54-hole event on a par-72, 6100 yard Grasslands Golf and Country Club layout.
McGaha (73-69=142) is tied for first in the chase for individual medalist honors, alongside Nova Southeastern's Ellen Andersson (73-69=142) and Saint Leo's Francesca Santoni (71-71=142). McGaha carded a career-best 68 in the final round of the LeeAnn Noble Memorial last October after posting a 69 a day earlier in the second round of the North Georgia tourney.
Lynn's Alice Gatti and Barry's Eve Marie Sapin are tied for fourth place, two shots off the pace.
Iglesias, who is playing as an individual, opened with a 75 then fired her career-best even-par 72 in the second round and sits in a tie for 10th place. Freeman is tied for 21st after notching her season-best even-par 72 in the first round and following up with a 77.
Sophomore Jessica Rathbone (75-75=150) is tied for 26th place, alongside senior Kerington Lamb (74-76=150) entering Tuesday's final round, with senior Victoria Hall (77-76=153) sitting in a tie for 42nd place. Emma Charles (79-77=156) rounded out the Trojan contingent in a tie for 59th place.
"Really solid work today," said Anderson Associate Head Coach Denton Moore. "We are in third in what could arguably be the best field in the country for a regular season tournament. The girls were very good today - on a day that we honestly didn't hit it our best. Kennedy (McGaha) leading the tournament as a freshman is pretty special. There's still 18 holes to go, but today was special. She is just a solid competitor. Anna (Freeman) was exceptional in the first round, as was Kerington (Lamb). They both played two of their better rounds of the year. Jessica (Rathbone) was gritty and solid all day when she didn't have her best stuff. But that's what All-Americans do - they shoot 75-75 - which on that course wasn't bad. Victoria (Hall) was huge down the stretch in the second round when we needed her the most. I'm very excited with both individuals in Zoey (Iglesias) and Emma (Charles). Zoey was extremely impressive."
In a 15-team field that includes 10 teams that received votes or were ranked inside the top-25 of the Mizuno WGCA Coaches Poll on Nov. 19, Anderson is in third place and trails No. 1 Lynn by six shots and ninth-ranked Nova Southeastern by four strokes.
Sixth-ranked Barry is in fourth place – six shots behind the Trojans – with Florida Southern, No. 3 Limestone and 20th-ranked Tampa all sharing fifth place. Rollins is in eighth place, while Embry-Riddle and Flagler are tied for ninth place. Saint Leo and West Florida are deadlocked in 11th place, with North Georgia, Eckerd and Palm Beach Atlantic rounding out the field.
"The entire squad really put together a solid day today," added Moore. "We only trail the No. 1 and No. 3 teams in the nation. The goal tomorrow is to go try and catch them. But, at the end of the day we just need to go play Trojan Golf, and we will be fine. If we play our game and play well, we will let the chips fall where they may. Proud of the effort today. Time to go perform on the big stage tomorrow."
Tuesday's final 18 holes are scheduled to get underway with an 8 a.m. shotgun start.
NOTABLES
• The opening-round 294 matches the 10th-best round for 18 holes in program history.
• The two-round 590 matches the sixth-best score for 36 holes in program history.
• McGaha's second-round 69 matched the second-lowest round of her career.
• Freeman's opening-round 72 marked her best round of the season and her two-round 149 marked her best two-round score of the year.
• Iglesias' second-round 72 marked the lowest round of her career.
3 Anderson 294 296 590
T1 Kennedy McGaha 73 69 142
T10 Zoey Iglesias 75 72 147
T21 Anna Freeman 72 77 149
T26 Jessica Rathbone 75 75 150
T26 Kerington Lamb 74 76 150
T42 Victoria Hall 77 76 153
T59 Emma Charles 79 77 156
School Scores
1 Lynn 293 291 584 +8
2 Nova Southeastern 292 294 586 +10
3 Anderson 294 296 590 +14
4 Barry 301 295 596 +20
T5 Florida Southern 299 301 600 +24
T5 Limestone 298 302 600 +24
T5 Tampa 304 296 600 +24
8 Rollins 303 298 601 +25
T9 Embry-Riddle 304 307 611 +35
T9 Flagler 311 300 611 +35
T11 Saint Leo 306 306 612 +36
T11 West Florida 301 311 612 +36
13 North Georgia 306 314 620 +44
14 Eckerd 320 322 642 +66
15 Palm Beach Atlantic 332 324 656 +80
