Sept. 18, 2012

SAN ANGELO, Texas - Western Washington University freshman Kristen Hansen (Spokane Mead) moved up 24 places to join teammate Claire Rachor (Sr., Bellingham) in five-way tie for 13th place in medalist play and the Vikings climbed two spots to finish seventh among 13 teams in final-day action Tuesday at the inaugural Angelo State University Concho River Classic which took place at the Bentwood Country Club.

The Vikings shot 304, the fourth-best round of the day, for a 36-hole total of 625, just one stroke out of sixth.

St. Edwards, ranked No.4 in the Women's Golf Coaches Association NCAA Division II Top 25 Preseason Poll, won by nine strokes with a 594 total, shooting a tourney-best 297 for the second straight day. Midwestern State was second at 603 (303).

"We played much better today," said WWU coach Bo Stephan (8th year). "Kristen (Hansen) had a great round and Claire (Rachor) played very solid."

Hansen fired a 1-under par 71, tying for the second-best round of the day, to finish at 152, and Rachor again carded a 76.

"It was really fun to see Kristen have such a great round," Stephan said. "Her front nine (32) was awesome, and it could have been even better. She's definitely going to be a factor for us this year."

WWU's Anna Bourland (Sr., Bainbridge) tied for 34th at 159 (78) and tying for 46th at 164 for the Vikings were Katya Case (Jr., Enumclaw) (81) and Kara Zitzman (Sr., Woodinville/Redmond) (79).

Tarleton State's Isabell Jimenez-Perea (70) and Incarnate Word's Flower Castillo (74) tied for medalist honors at 144, Jimenez-Perea winning in a playoff.

WWU next competes at the Grand Canyon Fall Invitational on Sept. 24-25.