PACE, Fla. --- The Tusculum College women's golf team fired an opening round 310 and is in sixth place after the first 18 holes of the 2012 NCAA Division II South Regional on Sunday. The three-day, 54-hole tournament is being held at the par 72, 6,154-yar Stonebrook Golf Club and hosted by the University of West Florida.

The Pioneers, who are making their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance, are eight shots out of first place. Florida Southern has the first day lead with 302, one shot better than Lynn. Barry is third with 305, while Saint Leo and defending national champion Nova Southeastern are tied for fourth with 308. Tusculum is sixth, followed by Rollins (312), Newberry (317) and UNC Pembroke (321) to round out the nine-team tournament field.

Tusculum freshman Emee Herbert posted a two-over par 74 and is tied for seventh place and is five shots behind first round leader Abbey Gittings of Nova Southeastern, who carded a three-under par 69 on Sunday. Herbert's round included one birdie, one bogey, a double-bogey and 15 pars, including a string of 11 in a row. Herbert (Johns Creek, Ga.), the 2012 South Atlantic Conference Freshman of the Year, posted her eighth round of 75 or better this season.

Senior Katie Doane carded one of her best rounds of the year with a 77, which has her tied for 17th place. The Sevierville, Tenn. native scored a double-bogey seven on the second hole and followed with back-to-back bogey's the fourth and fifth holes. But she rebounded nicely with birdies on No. 7 and No. 8 as she wrapped up her outward nine with a two-over par 38. She gave three shots back with a bogey on No. 10 and a double-bogey on No. 12, but once again rallied and closed out her round with six consecutive pars to post 77.

Senior Aly Pugh finished with a 79 and is tied for 26th place. The Harrisburg, Pa. native recorded a pair of birdies on her opening nine to post a one-over par 37, but stumbled on a couple of holes on the back nine, including a double-bogey on the par-three 15th as she finished with her 79.

Junior Jillian Corum (Knoxville, Tenn.) and sophomore Sara Howard (Knoxville, Tenn.) each shot 80 and are tied for 31st place. Corum's round included a birdie on the par-4 eighth hole and nine bogeys. Howard's round got off to a tough start, posting a 43 for her first nine holes. But she would rebound with a one-over par 37 on her inward nine, including birdies at the 10th, 13th and 15th holes.

The second round will be played on Monday, followed by Tuesday's final round. Tusculum will be starting in the second wave of Monday's tee times, beginning at 10:26 a.m. (EST) as the Pioneers will be playing along with Saint Leo and Nova Southeastern.

The three low teams from the South Regional, as well as the low three individuals not on the teams advancing, will compete at the NCAA Division II National Championship in Louisville, Ky. on May 16-19 at Persimmon Ridge Golf Club.

- NCAA -

NCAA II Women's Golf South Regional
Stonebrook Golf Club; Pace, Fla.; Par 72, 6154 yds.
1st Round Results
Pl Team TOT
1 Florida Southern 302
2 Lynn 303
3 Barry 305
4 Saint Leo 308
Nova Southeastern 308
6 TUSCULUM 310
7 Rollins 312
8 Newberry 317
9 UNC Pembroke 321

Tusculum Individual Results
Pl Player Score
T7 Emee Herbert 74
T17 Katie Doane 77
T26 Aly Pugh 79
T31 Jillian Corum 80
T31 Sara Howard 80

NCAA D2 Women's Super Region 2
Pace, FL May 6 - May 8, 2012
Round 1 Scores
Stonebrook Golf Club 2012 Women's Golf Regional - Par 72, 6154 yards
* Player is participating as an individual
Fin. Players Team Scores Total Par
1 Abbey Gittings................. Nova Southeastern............. 69 69 -3
2 Nancy Vergara.................. Barry......................... 72 72 E
T3 Jackie Rajek................... Florida Southern.............. 73 73 +1
T3 Melanie Audette................ Florida Southern.............. 73 73 +1
T3 Goeun Lee...................... St. Leo....................... 73 73 +1
T3 Maria Luz Besio................ Newberry College.............. 73 73 +1
T7 Louise Manalo.................. Lynn.......................... 74 74 +2
T7 Lilliana Camisa................ Nova Southeastern............. 74 74 +2
T7 Emee Herbert................... Tusculum College.............. 74 74 +2
T10 Jenna Birch*................... Armstrong Atlantic............ 75 75 +3
T10 Kimesha Anthony*............... Columbus State U.............. 75 75 +3
T10 Jessica Bradley................ Lynn.......................... 75 75 +3
T10 Taylor Babcock................. Barry......................... 75 75 +3
T14 Samantha Smolen................ Lynn.......................... 76 76 +4
T14 Daniela Murray................. Barry......................... 76 76 +4
T14 Fabia Rothenfluh............... Rollins College............... 76 76 +4
T17 Barbora Vejlupkova............. Florida Southern.............. 77 77 +5
T17 Daniela Ortiz.................. Nova Southeastern............. 77 77 +5
T17 Kayla Sciupider................ Rollins College............... 77 77 +5
T17 Katie Doane.................... Tusculum College.............. 77 77 +5
T17 Meghan Moore................... N. Car.- Pembroke............. 77 77 +5
T22 Thalia Baigorria............... Lynn.......................... 78 78 +6
T22 Ragna Olafsdottir.............. St. Leo....................... 78 78 +6
T22 Clara Teixeira................. Rollins College............... 78 78 +6
T22 Heather Petronis............... St. Leo....................... 78 78 +6
T26 Amy Hodgkinson................. Florida Southern.............. 79 79 +7
T26 Megan Kiley.................... Florida Southern.............. 79 79 +7
T26 Clare Connolly................. St. Leo....................... 79 79 +7
T26 Alyson Pugh.................... Tusculum College.............. 79 79 +7
T26 Eline Askeland................. Newberry College.............. 79 79 +7
T31 Elizabeth Bundy................ N. Car.- Pembroke............. 80 80 +8
T31 Sara Howard.................... Tusculum College.............. 80 80 +8
T31 Barbara Castro................. Newberry College.............. 80 80 +8
T31 Jillian Corum.................. Tusculum College.............. 80 80 +8
T35 Irene Calvo.................... Lynn.......................... 81 81 +9
T35 Kristen Garabedian............. Rollins College............... 81 81 +9
T35 Laura Huertas.................. St. Leo....................... 81 81 +9
T38 Paola Grande................... Barry......................... 82 82 +10
T38 Jennifer Crow.................. N. Car.- Pembroke............. 82 82 +10
T38 Shauna Walor................... N. Car.- Pembroke............. 82 82 +10
41 Elin Marcsdottir............... Rollins College............... 83 83 +11
T42 Valentina Urquiola*............ Mount Olive College........... 84 84 +12
T42 Erica Ray*..................... Carson-Newman................. 84 84 +12
T42 Francesca Perini............... Barry......................... 84 84 +12
T45 Lisa Brandl.................... Newberry College.............. 85 85 +13
T45 Kelly Sumner................... N. Car.- Pembroke............. 85 85 +13
47 Natalia Perez.................. Newberry College.............. 87 87 +15
48 Claudia Wolf................... Nova Southeastern............. 88 88 +16