CONOVER, N.C. --- The Tusculum College women's golf team posted a 36-hole score of 639 and is in third place after day one action of the 2012 South Atlantic Conference Championship, held this week on the Jackson Course of the Rock Barn Golf & Spa. The 10-team, 54-hole tournament is being played on the par 71, 5,857-yard layout.

Tusculum was paced by SAC Freshman of the Year Emee Herbert, who carded a 73-81=154, good enough for fourth place and is seven shots behind SAC Player of the Year Maria Luz Besio of Newberry, who posted a 147. Herbert's 73 on her first 18 holes was second after the first round and one shot behind Besio.

Newberry posted 310-308=618 and leads by 14 shots over second place Lincoln Memorial. Tusculum is third, followed by Carson-Newman (640), Wingate, (651), Catawba (657), Anderson (677), Lenoir-Rhyne (699), Brevard (773) and Mars Hill (806).

Tusculum's Jillian Corum is seventh with 76-81=157 as she is looking to garner SAC All-Tournament honors for a second straight year. Aly Pugh carded 82-79=161 and is tied for 13th place, while Sara Howard shot 79-88=167 and is tied for 24th. Katie Doane shot back-to-back rounds of 95-95=190 and is tied for 43rd place. TC freshman Alec Cunningham, playing as an individual competitor, also shot 190 and is tied for 43rd.

The final 18 holes will be held on Tuesday at the Rock Barn Golf & Spa.

- SAC -

Team Results
Pl Team 1st 2nd TOT
1 Newberry 310 308 618
2 Lincoln Memorial 309 323 632
3 TUSCULUM 310 329 639
4 Carson-Newman 325 315 640
5 Wingate 326 325 651
6 Catawba 323 334 657
7 Anderson 331 346 677
8 Lenoir-Rhyne 359 340 699
9 Brevard 385 388 773
10 Mars Hill 414 392 806

Tusculum Individual Scores
Pl Player 1st 2nd TOT
4 Emee Herbert 73 81 154
7 Jillian Corum 76 81 157
T13 Aly Pugh 82 79 161
T24 Sara Howard 79 88 167
T43 Katie Doane 95 95 190
T43 Alec Cunningham* 89 101 190
* individual competitor