July 14, 2005

LEXINGTON, N.C. - Lorraine Ballerano, Molly Birmingham and Jessica Vincent, all members of the NC State women's golf team, competed this week in the Carolinas Amateur Match Play Championship at Sapona Country Club in Lexington, N.C. Ballerano advanced to the semifinals before falling.

Ballerano and Vincent finished in the top 16 of stroke play to advance to the championship flight of match play. Ballerano, a rising senior from Myrtle Beach, S.C., shot a 72 to tie for second and Vincent, a rising sophomore from Burlington, N.C., carded a 77 July 12 in stroke play. They played each other in the opening round of match play July 14 and Ballerano won, 20 holes. She then beat Dinah Plyler 3&2 in the quarterfinals before losing 2&1 in the semifinals to Michelle Jarman on July 14.

Birmingham fired a 78 in stroke play. The rising senior from Cornelius, N.C., defeated Mattie Pufpaff 1 up in the first flight of match play.

All three Wolfpack golfers played in the U.S. Amateur Qualifying Round at Sapona last week. Birmingham and Ballerano tied for first place and qualified for the U.S. Am, August 1-7 in Atlanta.

Complete results from the Carolinas Amateur Match Play Championship are available at www.carolinasgolf.org.