Lakeland, Fla. – Carson-Newman's Jessica Tarbet (Corryton, Tenn.) and Jennifer Oliver (Knoxville, Tenn.)are in a five-way tie for 11th after firing matching 76's, lifting the Lady Eagles into fourth place after the first round of the 2011 South Regional Tournament played Sunday at The Club at Eaglebrooke in Lakeland, Fla.
C-N shot a team 309 (+21) and sits in a tie with Florida Southern University at fourth.
The top three teams in the 54-hole event advance to the NCAA Division II Championships on May 12-14 in Allendale, Mich.
Nova Southeastern has four golfers in a tie for no less than fourth and leads after a 3-over 291 on the first round. Rollins College is four strokes back after a 295.
The Lady Eagles lead South Atlantic Conference rival Newberry College by eight strokes and nationally top-ten ranked Belmont Abbey College by nine.
Tarbet rallied from a slow start to the round with birdies on the sixth and seventh holes to make the turn at 1-over. She finished with a 4-over 76. Oliver rallied with three birdies and an even-par 36 on the back nine to card a 76.
Both are five strokes back of the leaders.
Freshman Mary Tunnell (Memphis, Tenn.) played her first eight holes at even par to shoot a one-over 37 on the front nine and finish with a 77. She's tied for 16th.
Junior Erica Ray (Maryville, Tenn.) finished with an 8-over 80. Ray's round included nine bogeys or double bogeys, but she countered with four birdies. Sophomore Melanie Manis (Louisville, Tenn.) played her final five holes 5-over to finish with an 84 (+12). She made the turn with a 4-over 40. Ray is tied for 33rd, while Manis is tied for 42nd.
The second round will be played on Monday at The Club at Eaglebrooke.
