WOMEN’S NCAA REGIONAL GOLF

Hogs face decorated field

Summar Roachell of Conway tees off on the second tee of the Park Course at Hot Springs Country Club Friday, July 17, 2015, during a semifinal round of match play against Kirsten Garner of Hot Springs.
Summar Roachell of Conway tees off on the second tee of the Park Course at Hot Springs Country Club Friday, July 17, 2015, during a semifinal round of match play against Kirsten Garner of Hot Springs.

FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas women's golf Coach Shauna Estes-Taylor thinks the No. 7 Razorbacks are in position to make a run at the school's most successful season.

Before her team can make a run at an NCAA title, it faces one more critical step. The Razorbacks open play today at the NCAA Stanford Regional at the Stanford University Golf Course in Palo Alto, Calif., against a tough field.

At a glance

Arkansas women’s golf at NCAA Regional

What NCAA Stanford Regional

When Today-Saturday

Where Stanford Golf Course, Palo Alto, Calif.

Course stats Par 71, 5,802 yards

Internet golfstat.com

Format Top six teams from four regional sites (Baton Rouge; Birmingham, Ala.; Bryan, Texas; Palo Alto, Calif.) advance to the NCAA championships

Top 8 seeds 1. No. 2 Southern California, 2. No. 7 Arkansas, 3. No. 12 Stanford, 4. No. 15 Virginia, 5. No. 18 UNLV, 6. No. 21 San Diego State, 7. Texas Tech, 8. Ohio State

The top six teams at Stanford and three other regionals -- Shoals Creek in Birmingham, Ala.; Traditions Club in Bryan, Texas; and University Club in Baton Rouge -- will advance to the NCAA championships May 20-25 in Eugene, Ore.

"I feel great about it," Estes-Taylor said. "I think we have such a good group of girls and a lot of depth."

Arkansas' depth will be tested by No. 12 Stanford, the defending NCAA champion; No. 2 Southern California, which finished second in 2014 after capturing the 2013 NCAA title; reigning ACC champion No. 15 Virginia; and No. 18 UNLV, among others.

"I'm excited about the opportunity," Estes-Taylor said. "Stanford is a great championship golf course, and it'll be a good test for us."

The Razorbacks will be led by freshman Maria Fassi, senior Regina Plasencia, junior Summar Roachell, sophomore Alana Uriell and freshman Cara Gorlei. Arkansas lost senior Gaby Lopez after she earned her LPGA card in the fall, but Fassi -- an early high school graduate from Pachuca, Mexico, who joined the team in January -- has filled in nicely.

"Maria has come in at semester and had an immediate impact on our program," Estes-Taylor said.

Fassi won the Lady Puerto Rico Classic in her first tournament as a collegian, and her 72.08 stroke average ranks fourth on Arkansas' single-season list. She was named to the SEC's All-Freshman team and second-team All-SEC this week.

Fassi joined a core group that finished third in the NCAA Regional at St. George, Utah, last spring and qualified for the NCAA championships for the fourth time in five seasons.

Plasencia, Roachell and Uriell have played in every round this season. Uriell tied with Lopez for second place in last year's St. George Regional.

The Razorbacks have a 15-3 head-to-head record against the other teams in the regional, including 2-1 vs. Southern California, but they have not faced Stanford.

"There are some great teams there," Estes-Taylor said. "We have to go out and take care of business and play solid golf.

"Stanford is a three seed, and Stanford at home could be tough. But I feel like if we go out and play our game, we definitely will be in Eugene, Ore."

Sports on 05/05/2016

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