OLD HICKORY, Tenn. – The Loyola University New Orleans women's golf team is playing in its second-to-last regular season event this week before next month's conference tournament, as the 10th-ranked Wolf Pack is competing in the Music City Classic in Old Hickory, Tennessee. Loyola is one of 16 teams in the 54-hole tournament, and 14 of those teams are either ranked in the NAIA Top 25 Coaches' Poll or receiving votes, including six total teams in the Top 10.
As a team, Loyola is in 10th place with a score of 41-over (617) through the first two rounds, and it's just eight strokes from a Top 5 position on the leaderboard. No. 2 Dalton State (+17), No. 4 Keiser (+25) and No. 6 Southeastern (+30) make up the Top 3.
Blair McKenzie leads the Pack in a tie for 11th place out of 99 golfers. She started the day with a first-round 74 (+2) before ending the day with a 76 (+4) in the afternoon. McKenzie had one birdie and three bogeys on her card in the morning before two birdies and six bogeys during her afternoon round. She also had 24 pars throughout the day to stay in the hunt for a Top 10 finish.
Lainey Cristan is next for Loyola in a tie for 24th with rounds of 77 and 76 during Day 1 of the competition. She started the day with a birdie on her first hole before finishing with nine pars, seven bogeys, and another birdie. During Cristan's second round, she collected 14 pars and four bogeys to shoot one stroke better.
Catherine Singletary had a more up-and-down day, carding scores of 83 and 76, joining teammates Emma Smithers and Kaitlyn Montoya in a tie for 59th. Smithers and Montoya each had scores of 79 and 80 on Monday.
The tournament will wrap up on Tuesday with 18 more holes.
Women's Team Leaderboard
1. #2 Dalton State (Ga.) – Round 1: 298 | Round 2: 295 | Total: 593 (+17)
2. #4 Keiser (Fla.) – Round 1: 292 | Round 2: 309 | Total: 601 (+25)
3. #6 Southeastern (Fla.) – Round 1: 305 | Round 2: 301 | Total: 606 (+30)
10. #10 Loyola – Round 1: 309 | Round 2 308 | Total: 617 (+41)
Women's Individual Leaderboard
1. Hoi Ki Lau (Keiser) – Round 1: 72 | Round 2: 72 | Total: 144 (E)
2. Marlie Smith (Southeastern) – Round 1: 73 | Round 2: 72 | Total: 145 (+1)
3. Sharifah Binyahya (Northwestern) – Round 1: 74 | Round 2: 72 | Total: 146 (+2)
T11. Blair McKenzie (Loyola) – Round 1: 74 | Round 2: 76 | Total: 150 (+6)
Loyola Women's Leaderboard
T11. Blair McKenzie – Round 1: 74 | Round 2: 76 | Total: 150 (+6)
T24. Lainey Cristan – Round 1: 77 | Round 2: 76 | Total: 153 (+9)
T59. Catherine Singletary – Round 1: 83 | Round 2: 76 | Total: 159 (+15)
T59. Emma Smithers – Round 1: 79 | Round 2: 80 | Total: 159 (+15)
T59. Kaitlyn Montoya – Round 1: 79 | Round 2: 80 | Total: 159 (+15)
You can keep up with the Pack by following Wolf Pack Athletics on Facebook at Facebook.com/LoyolaWolfPack, Twitter and Instagram @LoyolaWolfPack, and by checking out our website at LoyolaWolfPack.com.
