Spartans in 8th place after round one.

May 1, 1998

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Freshman Kasey Gant (Fort Wayne, Ind.) is one shot off the lead after 36 holes of the Big Ten Women's Golf Championship in State College, Pa. Gant shot a 72-77=149 one the first day to lead the Spartans, who stand in eighth place as a team.

Michigan State shot a 312-309=621 as a team through two rounds as threatening clouds and an impending thunderstorm held off enough for the first day of competition to finish on schedule. The Spartans are just seven strokes out of the top five, head coach Stacy Slobodnik's goal for the weekend. Indiana (307-292=599) leads the tournament.

Gant's first-round 72 tied for the second-best round of the day. She stands tied with three other golfers in second, just one shot behind Indiana's Jennifer Seger (78-70=148).

Three Spartans besides Gant had rounds under 80 Friday, led by junior Meggan Schumaker (Columbia City, Ind.), whose 78-78=156 put her in a tie for 28th individually. Juniors Ellen Bishop (New Castle, Ind.) and Kellie Dennis (Jackson, Mich.) were 33rd and 40th respectively.

TEAM STANDINGS                    MSU INDIVIDUALS
1. Indiana         307-292=599    T2. Kasey Gant        72-77=149
2. Ohio State      298-307=605    T28. Meggan Schumaker 78-78=156
3. Purdue          312-298=610    T30. Ellen Bishop     81-76=157
4. Penn State      308-303=611    T40. Kellie Dennis    81-78=159
5. Northwestern    309-305=614    T55. Tricia Gregory   83-83=166
6. Iowa            305-312=617    60. April Holly       83-86=169
7. Wisconsin       309-311=620
8. Michigan State  312-309=621
9. Minnesota       308-315=623
10. Illinois       319-318=637
11. Michigan       316-328=644