By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

SPOKANE, WASH. -- Freshman golfer Taneesh Kaur Sra from Willamette University shot a 79 on Sunday, Sept. 30 in the first round of the Whitworth Invitational in women's golf and is tied for third place. The final 18 holes of the tournament will be held on Monday, Oct. 1.

Kaur Sra is one stroke out of second place and five strokes off the lead. Emily Guthrie of Whitworth is in first place with a 1-over-par 74. Catelyn Weber from Whitman College holds second place with a 78. Kaur Sra, Alyssa Maine of Whitman and Kelly Sweeney of Whitman each shot a 79 and share third place.

Scotti Jo Helmick from Warner Pacific College (Ore.) and Katie Kajicek of Whitman are tied for sixth place at 80.

Whitman tops the team standings with a 316. The Missionaries have a 10-stroke lead.

Whitworth is in second place at 326 and Willamette controls third place at 331. Warner Pacific follows in fourth place at 354, while Northern Idaho College is fifth 356. Linfield College is sixth after carding a team score of 361. University of Puget Sound is seventh at 426. Trinity Lutheran College (Wash.) did not field a full entry.

A total of six Willamette golfers are competing. In addition to Kaur Sra, other participants for the Bearcats are Lettajoe Gallup (So., Alameda, CA/Holy Names HS), Elise Levy (Fr.), Mele Ana Kastner (So., Vancouver, WA/Columbia River HS), Nicole Smith (So., Portland, OR/Westview) and Mckenzie Weinhold (So., Placerville, CA/El Dorado HS/U. of Nevada-Los Vegas).

Gallup and Levy each shot an 83 in the first round and are tied for 13th place. Kastner and Smith matched scores at 86 and are tied for 15th place. Weinhold shot an 87.

Each team designates five players to contribute to the team score, so Kastner is competing as an individual.