BAJA, Mexico ? Senior Rikki Sobel (Deerfield, Ill./Deerfield) shot a career-best 71 in the second round to help the Bradley women's golf team to a fourth-place showing after 36 holes at the Baja Invitational at the par-72 Bajamar Resort.
Making the first international trip in program history, the Braves were tied for third at 320 after Monday morning's first round. Sobel's second-round 71 helped Bradley to a second-round 314 as BU finished the day in fourth place in the nine-team field.
Sobel shot an opening round 78 before carding her career-low 71 to finish the day at 149.
She enters Tuesday's final round in second place and is four shots behind Iowa's Tyrette Metzendorf for top individual honors.
Sophomore Bari Erais (Lethbridge, Alberta/Lethbridge Collegiate Institute) is also in the top 10, five shots behind Sobel in a tie for sixth place at 154, after firing rounds of 76 and 78.
Senior Whitney Cox (Edmonton, Alberta/Harry Ainlay) shot a pair of 79's and is four shots behind Erais in a tie for 12th place at 158. Freshman Breanne Neufeld (Coaldale, Alberta/Coaldale) is tied for 42nd at 173 after rounds of 87 and 86, while junior Lauren Downing (Rockton, Ill./Hononeagh) turned in rounds of 91 and 86 to finish the first day of play in 50th place at 177.
In its first tournament of the spring season, Bradley is just 10 shots behind Iowa and three shots back of tournament co-host Southern Miss for third place heading into Tuesday's final round of play.
Iowa shot the best round of the day in the second round with a 304 and finished the day in first place at 624. Kennesaw State is one shot behind the Hawkeyes in second place at 625, while Southern Miss is seven shots back of Iowa in third at 631.
The Braves are fourth at 634 and Missouri Valley Conference rival Southern Illinois is just three shots behind BU in fifth at 637. North Texas finished day one in sixth place (646) and is nine shots better than Drake (7th ? 655). USC Upstate enters final day in eighth at 659 and tournament co-host Northern Illinois rounds out the field in ninth at 689.
Bradley concludes play at the Baja Invitational Tuesday with one round of play.
