DADE CITY, Fla. - The FGCU women's golf team sits in third place through day one of the WKU Spring Break Shootout, just 14 shots back of first-place Western Kentucky.

The Eagles are also just eight shots behind second-place Jacksonville. The Green and Blue tied UALR with a first-round 298, which was second best, and concluded the day with a 306, led by Madeline Marck-Sherk's 71.

"Today was definitely one of those days where we had to grind it out," FGCU head coach Sarah Trew said. "In the morning, we had a pretty steady dose of rain and in the afternoon winds were gusting 25 to 30 mph. We had some awesome highlights with Madison's hole-in-one and Kelsy's eagle on number two. Madeline's 71 in the second round was a phenomenal display of golf and toughness.

"However, we also had some areas where we gave some shots back to the field with some silly mistakes. We just need to be a little more gritty out there. Tomorrow, we are looking to put up a good number and hopefully move up the leaderboard."

Madison Easterbrook aced hole No. 7 in the opening round en route to a team-low 72. Marck-Sherk (Ridgeway, Ontario/Ridgeway Crystal Beach HS) and Kelsy Holbert each tied for second in that round with 75 apiece.

In the second round, Marck-Sherk trimmed four strokes off her first-round to finish with a 71. She is currently tied for second overall individually with a 146 (+2). Holbert (Lutz, Fla./Steinbrenner HS) sits in second after a pair of 75's for +6. Easterbrook (Ridgeway, Ontario/Ridgeway Crystal Beach HS) is +12 and tied for 32nd.

Two others, Kate Williamson and Natalia Nassar, are tied for 43rd individually. Williamson (Deerfield Beach, Fla./Archbishop McCarthy HS) shot a 78-79, while Nassar (Floridablanca, Colombia/Colegio Panamericano) fired a 76-81.

Jean Tyrrell (Leawood, Kan./Blue Valley North HS) is competing as an individual. She shot an 80-81 for a 161 (+17) and is currently tied for 62nd.

FGCU LINEUP
T-2. Madeline Marck-Sherk - 75-71---146 (+2)
T-7. Kelsy Holbert - 75-75---150 (+6)
T-32. Madison Easterbrook - 72-84---156 (+12)
T-43. Kate Williamson - 78-79---157 (+13)
T-43. Natalia Nassar - 76-81---157 (+13)

TEAM STANDINGS
1. #106 Western Kentucky - 289-301---590 (+14)
2. #89 Jacksonville - 300-296---596 (+20)
3. #121 FGCU - 298-306---604 (+28)
4. #217 FAU - 308-301---609 (+33)
5. #186 UALR - 298-312---610 (+34)
6. #135 Towson - 305-307---612 (+36)
7. #189 Ball State - 311-305---616 (+40)
8. #180 Oakland - 310-308---618 (+42)
9. #158 Georgia Southern - 306-313---619 (+43)
10. #141 Arkansas State - 314-306---620 (+44)
11. #223 Central Michigan - 317-304---621 (+45)
12. #208 Ohio - 308-314---622 (+46)
13. #238 Fort Wayne - 314-323---637 (+61)
14. #245 Lipscomb - 334-328---662 (+86)

NEXT UP
Following this event, FGCU will take part in the MSU Citrus Classic in Sorrento, Fla. March 18-20.

COACH TREW
Head coach Sarah Trew is in her 7th season at the helm of the FGCU women's golf team. She took over in 2011 and has since guided the Eagles to the program's best-ever finish in the ASUN Tournament and 24 top-5 finishes. The 2013-14 squad set a new single-season scoring record with a team average of 307.88, while also setting a new benchmark academically. The spring of 2015 saw the Eagles again take third place at the ASUN Championship, and recording their best team score of the season while 2016 again set a new standard. In 2015-16, Trew earned her first ASUN Coach of the Year title after the squad recorded a new program best with a 305.29 average and took second-place at the conference tournament – the program's best finish in the event. In the second round of that tournament, the Eagles carded a team score of 290 to set a low-round program record. The 2016-17 Eagles repeated that success with another second-place finish in the ASUN Championship and for the third time since Trew took over, set a new record with a 302.30 stroke average on the season.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
For up-to-the minute information and a behind-the-scenes look at the FGCU women's golf program, follow on Twitter at @FGCU_WGolf and on Facebook at /FGCUWGolf.

SUPPORT THE CAUSE 
FGCU Athletics sponsors events throughout the year to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help.