Feb. 9, 2009

KINDER, La. - Freshman Sofia Joensson opened the Spring season with by firing a 248 (T62/81-80-87) at the Koasati Pines Collegiate Classic held at the par 72, 6,217 yard Koasati Pines Golf Course. The Moelndal, Sweden native, who leads the team with a 79 scoring average after 10 rounds, became only the second player in Nicholls' history to claim a tournament victory after winning the Troy Invitational in October.

Nicholls started the tournament by shooting a 675 after the first 36 holes, which had it sitting in 16th place. However, the Colonels fired a final round of 344, which moved them up down one spot to finish 17th overall by shooting a 54-hole total of 1019 (336-339-344).

Other Nicholls golfers included freshman Brooke Braun (254 - T73), freshman Natalie McLane (254 - T73), sophomore Elyse Kinley (266 - 84th) and senior Theunette Van der Walt (270 - 86th). Senior Emiley Patton finished tied for 80th after shooting a 261 as an individual.

Texas State took home the overall team honors by posting a 924 (303-317-304), while tournament host McNeese State (926), Texas-San Antonio (929), Central Arkansas (929) and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (932) rounded out the top five. South Alabama (936) claimed the sixth spot, while Lamar (936), Sam Houston State (945), Toledo (946), Redlands CC (955), Houston Baptist (960), Centenary College (969), Florida Gulf Coast (973), McLennan CC (974), Louisiana-Monroe (980), McNeese State B Team (1014) and Nicholls (1019) round out the field of 17.

Sydney Liles of Texas State claimed the individual honors by firing a six-over par 222 (73-75-74), while Nicole Forshner and Maria Clara Jarmillo both from Central Arkansas finished tied for second with a 226.

The Lady Colonels will take three weeks off before traveling to Mobile, Ala., to take part in the Lady Jaguar Invitational hosted by the University of South Alabama held at Azalea City Golf Course on March 2. ###