The UK women’s golf team is in fifth place with 18 holes left to play today after shooting a 305 in the second round at the Lady Wildcat Fall Invitational yesterday.

Sophomore Erica Still led UK by shooting an even-par 72. Still, who shot 13 over in the tournament’s opening round Saturday, responded in a big way today to move into a tie for 44th place after beginning the day in 64th.

“Erica was a bright spot for us today,” said head coach Myra Blackwelder. “She really bounced back and did what we asked of her today by staying positive and focused for 18 holes.”

The Cats are 30 over through 36 holes and trail South Florida by four shots. Three Southeastern Conference schools lead the tournament. Alabama is in first at 6 over, followed by Florida at 11 over and Arkansas at 23 over.

Three players are under par for the tournament on the individual leaderboard. Florida’s Whitney Myers fired a 67 on day two and is 7 under for the tournament. Alabama has two players under par. Courtney Harter is 6 under, and Camilla Lennarth is 5 under.

UK junior Mallory Blackwelder remains in the top 10, having battled through a tough stretch of three holes on the front nine that put her 6 over for the day and 4 over for the tournament.

“Holes seven, eight and nine were just a disaster for our team,” Myra Blackwelder said. “But our team took a big step today, because they responded from adversity by birding some holes on the back nine to keep us in the thick of things going into the final day.”

For the first time this season, all seven UK players in action broke a score of 80.

“Although we had some individual disappointments, we collectively made strides today,” said Blackwelder. “We just need to regroup and be ready to go in the morning.”

The final round begins this morning with a shotgun start at 8:30.

Women’s soccer loses in final ticks

The UK women’s soccer team (6-2-2, 0-2-0 SEC) lost a heartbreaker at Alabama as the Crimson Tide scored a goal off a corner kick with :01 left in the game to pull out a 2-1 victory.

With the score tied at 1-1 and the clock winding down, Alabama’s Rosie Petriello took a corner kick that Kailey Corken knocked home for the game-winner with one second left on the clock.

For the first time this season, the Cats yielded the game’s first goal. The Crimson Tide (8-2-1, 1-0-1 SEC) struck first with 8:29 left in the first half when Alex Butera picked up a loose ball in front of the UK goal and pushed a shot just past goalie Sydney Hiance for the 1-0 Alabama lead.

UK tied it at 1-1 in the 62nd minute when Kate Hughes took a corner kick from Tara Herold and got a solid head on the ball for her third goal of the season.

Alabama had some opportunities to reclaim the lead, but shots off the right post and the crossbar kept the score knotted at 1-1.

The Cats had an opportunity to take their first lead of the day in the 87th minute when Hughes’ header off a corner kick deflected off the left post and out of the box.

The Cats continue their four-game SEC road swing next weekend when the team heads to South Carolina and Florida.