Sept. 16, 2008

HANAHAN, S.C. - Freshman Jessica Hollandsworth fired an even-par 72 on Tuesday to tie for 28th overall and lead University of Maryland finishers at the Cougar Classic women's golf tournament hosted by the College of Charleston.

Hollandsworth, a freshman from Floyd, Va., carded the Terrapins' best round of the three-day event. She finished with a 221 total over 54 holes to earn a top-30 individual finish in her collegiate debut.

As a team, Maryland shot 309 on the final day and remained in 17th place in the field, which included a number of nationally ranked teams and NCAA participants from a year ago. The Terrapins had a three-day total of 920, just one shot behind Ole Miss and five strokes behind Tennessee.

Also for Maryland, sophomore Hilary Lawson had a 77 on Tuesday for a 229 total and a tie for 59th, while senior Lara Peffley tied for 69th with a 231 total following a final-round 79. Lauren Varnas, another Terp freshman, tied for 94th at 239, with sophomore Kerri Connolly finishing at 257.

Georgia earned the team victory, taking advantage of a 13-stroke cushion after 36 holes. The Bulldogs ended the event with an 858 total, five shots better than Alabama, which rallied for a 282 on Tuesday. North Carolina was third at 872.

Individually, Caroline Westrup of Florida State rallied for a 6-under-par 66 on Tuesday to finish at 10-under-par 206, making up a three-stroke deficit. Second-round leader Mallory Hetzel of Georgia finished with a 74 and tied for fourth at 211.

Whitney Neuhauser of Virginia was second individually at 208, with Marta Silva of Georgia in third at 210.

Maryland plays next in the Badger Invitational, hosted by Wisconsin on Sept. 27 and 28.

WOMEN'S TEAM SCORES

1 Georgia                 288 279 291 858 -6
2 Alabama, U. of          293 288 282 863 -1
3 North Carolina          292 296 284 872 +8
4 Virginia                288 292 294 874 +10
5 Florida State Univ.     292 299 284 875 +11
6 Louisiana State         297 290 291 878 +14
7 South Carolina          290 296 296 882 +18
8 Notre Dame, U. of       297 292 297 886 +22
9 Furman University       301 292 299 892 +28
10 Tulane University      303 300 292 895 +31
11 North Carolina St.     291 302 308 901 +37
12 Charleston, Coll. of   300 301 302 903 +39
13 Mississippi St. U.     305 300 299 904 +40
14 Wisconsin, U. of       301 307 300 908 +44
15 Tennessee              308 295 311 914 +50
16 Mississippi, U. of     307 307 305 919 +55
17 Maryland, U. of        303 308 309 920 +56
18 N. Car.- Greensboro    315 309 299 923 +59
19 Miami, U. of           308 308 308 924 +60
20 South Florida          304 306 320 930 +66
21 Charleston Southern    322 306 308 936 +72
22 Richmond               310 315 317 942 +78