By Mark Colachico, Interim Assistant Athletics Communications Director

BANKS, ORE. -- After the opening round of the Pacific Fall Opener hosted by Pacific University on Saturday, the Willamette University womens golf team sits in second place behind overnight leader Whitman College. The two-round tournament is being played at Quail Valley Golf Course west of Portland.

As a team, the Bearcats posted a combined score of 36-over 324 and trail Whitman by 15 strokes heading into the second and final round of the tournament. Behind the Missionaries and Bearcats are Pacific Lutheran University (333), Whitworth University (334), Lewis & Clark College (353), Linfield College (374), tournament host Pacific (403), and University of Puget Sound (440).

Maddi Barnett (Fr., Boise, ID/Timberline HS), LettaJoe Gallup (Jr., Alameda, CA/Holy Names HS), and Taneesh Sra (Jr., Fremont, CA/Mission San Jose HS) all posted identical scores of 8-over 80 and sit in a four-way tie for seventh overall with 18 holes remaining.

Elise Levy (Jr., Reno, NV/Bishop Manogue HS) rounded out Willamette's scoring quartet with a score of 12-over 84 and sits all alone in 13th place, while Stephanie Aronson (Fr., Pleasanton, CA/Foothill HS) also competed for the Bearcats but did not count in the overall team total despite posting an opening round score of 34-over 106.

Competing as an individual for the Bearcats was Holly Steele (Fr., Stayton, OR/Stayton HS), as she sits all alone in 38th place after an 18-hole score of 43-over 115.

The second and final round will be played tomorrow - Sunday, Sept. 21 - beginning at 10 a.m. (PST) at Quail Valley Golf Course in Banks, Oregon.