Lady Vols shoot for top 10 in NCAA golf

The Tennessee women's golf team enters today's final round of the NCAA tournament at Caves Valley Golf Club in Owings Mills, Md., with a top 10 finish within reach.

Led by Nathalie Mansson's 1-under-par 71, UT enjoyed its best collective round of the four-day tournament at 18-over 306 on Thursday.

"I played much better all around than the last two days,'' Mansson said. "I putted a lot better and I was driving a lot better.''

The Lady Vols, sitting in 16th place at 62-over 926, are 11 strokes off the pace of 10th-place LSU.

Southern Cal is at 890 and leads Arizona State by one shot.

Lady Vols coach Judi Pavon said UT could have - and should have - finished even stronger Thursday. UT was only a collective 6-over at the turn.

"The course is tough," Pavon said. "And we did not finish well again today. I know the girls are doing their best out there. We are close to a couple teams right ahead of us. Tomorrow we've just got to put it together and finish."

Junior Ginny Brown shot 77 and dropped into a tie for 20th at 8-over 224.

Jennifer Song (71) of Southern Cal leads by two shots at 216.

Mansson is tied for 34th at 229. Senior Nicole Smith (77) is tied for 64th at 233, junior Diana Contu (81) is at 240 while sophomore Lauren Spurlock (85) is at 252.