Sept. 14, 2009
Complete 36-Hole Results in PDF Format 
Tuesday Tee Times in PDF Format
SPOKANE, Wash. - Junior Sage Suffecool has a 4-stroke lead and she and her Gonzaga University teammates are in fourth place after 36 holes Monday of the Bulldog and Eagle Invitational women's golf tournament at Hangman Valley Golf Course.
Suffecool matched the school record with an opening-round 2-under par 70 over the 6,077-yard, par 72 Hangman Valley layout. She followed that with a 74 for a 36-hole score of 144 and a 4-shot lead over Carissa Simmons of the University of Montana.
Freshman Victoria Fallgren, playing No. 1 in her first collegiate tournament, had a pair of 75's and is tied for fourth at 150. Sophomore Jessica Howe shot an opening-round 85 but settled down in the afternoon for a 75 and a 36-hole score of 160.
A couple of Bulldogs playing as individuals also turned in strong rounds. Freshman Genna Dodge shot 81-73 for a 154 and is tied for 16th and senior Lauren Bierley fired a career-best rounds of 78-78 for 155 and a tie for 23rd.
Suffecool matched the school record of 70 set by Sarah Sheffield at the 2006 Price's Give `em Five Invitational hosted by New Mexico State University and equaled by Mary Kate Morgan a year later at the 2007 Bobcat Desert Classic in Goodyear, Ariz. She'll be aiming for her second collegiate title after winning the University of California Santa Cruz Spring Invitational last season.
"I'm excited about Sage. She worked hard at golf and all the right stuff and I'm happy for the way she played today," Gonzaga head coach Brad Rickel said. "Victoria's 75s for the first day of collegiate golf put her in the top five and she feels like she left a lot of shots out there today."
Rickel said Howe had a tough putting round but "fought through it to come back with a second-round 75.
The third-year Bulldog coach also liked the perseverance of his other freshman.
"Genna had a 73 in her second round and showed great improvement (from the opening-round 81) which bodes well for not only now but for the future of this program," he said.
As pleased as Rickel was there was also some disappointment.
"We should be right in the team mix, but we had to count some scores that aren't at the Division I level," he said. "I've said all along that we are deep enough that if you aren't working hard you'll find yourself on the outside looking in. We are six deep and I think we proved that today."
Northern Arizona University shot a 604 and holds an 8-shot lead over Montana at 612 in the team chase, but the battle for second heading into Tuesday's final 18 holes is tight. Cal State-Northridge is third at 614, and the Bulldogs are at 616.
Tuesday's final round begins at 7:30 a.m. with golfers teeing off from No. 1 and No. 10.
