HICKORY, N.C. --- The Tusculum College Women's golf team posted a three-round total 1007 to finish runner-up at the 2008 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Championship. The Pioneers finished 44 shots behind Wingate, who won its second league title with a 54-hole total 963 on the par-72 Lake Hickory Country Club at Catawba Springs.

Tusculum freshman Emily Palenkas led the Pioneers with a three-round total 243 to finish fifth and earning herself a spot in the SAC All-Tournament Team.

Wingate freshman Ashley Denton was the tournament medalist, edging Newberry College sophomore Franziska Blum by one shot. Denton carded a 77 Tuesday, while Blum shot a 79. Blum bogeyed her final three holes Tuesday, while Denton pared her last six. Denton finished the 54-hole event with a 231, while Blum carded a 232.

Newberry placed third with a 1036, followed by Catawba College (1061), Lenoir-Rhyne College (1078), Lincoln Memorial University (1099) and Mars Hill College (1127).

In addition to Denton and Blum, the all-tournament team included Wingate's Shannon Smith (240), Catawba's Kelsey Babos (241) and Palenkas (243).

The remainder of the top 10 on the leader board included Tusculum sophomore Mary Ann Vizcarrondo (sixth place, 248) and Newberry senior Ashley Ratcliff (seventh place, 249).

Tusculum had three golfers in the top 11, including senior Mandy Hartsock, who posted an 81 in her final collegiate round to shoot 259 and finish 11th. Susanne Sisco finished 15th with 266, while Adriana Vizcarrondo logged a 288, playing as an individual competitor.

- SAC -

FINAL RESULTS South Atl. Conf. Championship
* Individual Lake Hickory/Catawba Sprg Hickory, N.C.
Dates: 04/14 - 04/15 (Today: 04-15-2008)
Par: 72
Yardage: 5856

Fin. Top 20 Teams Scores
1 Wingate University 325 321 317 963
2 Tusculum College 333 340 334 1007
3 Newberry College 343 350 343 1036
4 Catawba College 358 348 355 1061
5 Lenoir-Rhyne College 345 363 370 1078
6 Lincoln Memorial U. 362 370 367 1099
7 Mars Hill College 379 378 370 1127

Fin. Top 20 Players School Scores
1 Ashley Denton Wingate U. 76 78 77 231 +15
2 Franziska Blum Newberry 75 78 79 232 +16
3 Shannon Smith Wingate U. 81 83 76 240 +24
4 Kelsey Babos Catawba 83 75 83 241 +25
5 Emily Palenkas Tusculum 83 78 82 243 +27
6 Mary Ann Vizcarrondo Tusculum 80 80 88 248 +32
7 Ashley Ratcliff Newberry 83 85 81 249 +33
8 Anna Lee Croom Wingate U. 85 80 85 250 +34
Andrea Velasquez Wingate U. 83 80 87 250 +34
10 Allie Osberg Wingate U. 90 84 79 253 +37
11 Mandy Hartsock Tusculum 86 92 81 259 +43
12 Brenna Martens LenoirRhyn 84 84 93 261 +45
13 Danielle Freed Catawba 86 85 91 262 +46
14 Megan Ulep LenoirRhyn 83 94 86 263 +47
15 Susanne Sisco Tusculum 93 90 83 266 +50
16 Katy Oliver LMU 88 90 90 268 +52
*Kacie Braxton Wingate U. 89 94 85 268 +52
18 Jeanette Behrens Mars Hill 92 90 88 270 +54
19 Rohni Dailkoff LMU 90 94 89 273 +57
Anna Grove LenoirRhyn 87 92 94 273 +57
21 Lindsay Gifford Newberry 93 91 91 275 +59
22 Kirsten Wolff LMU 88 91 98 277 +61
Elizabeth Smith Catawba 93 94 90 277 +61
24 Sarah Grigor Newberry 92 96 92 280 +64
25 Dani G