LOUISVILLE -- Barry jumped up to fourth place after the third round of the NCAA Division II National Championships when the women's golf team shot 308 Friday.
Nancy Vergara recovered from an off day Thursday to shoot 1-over 73 on a day she had three birdies. Paola Grande shot 77, finding her form for the second straight day, and Taylor Babcock put up a 78.
All of that equated to Barry's best round of the tournament with one more to play Saturday at Persimmon Ridge. The Bucs third round total was seven strokes better than leader Nova Southeastern, who leads the 72-hole championship at 65-over 929.
Florida Southern is second at 938, and Grand Canyon third at 957. Grand Valley State trails Barry by a stroke for fifth place.
Nova has three of the top five golfers in the 70-player field. Daniela Ortiz shot 79 Friday and leads the tourney by a stroke over Abbey Gittings, who came in with a 78 in the third round. Florida Southern's Melanie Audette and Nova's Lilliana Cammisa are tied with Grand Valley State's Kelly Hartigan at 12-over 228.
Barry's Daniela Murray shot 80, and Francesca Perini 83 in the third round. Murray birdied the par-4 eighth, and Perini sank birdie putts on the par-5 third and on the eighth.
Babcock is tied for 25th, and Grande and Vergara are in a logjam in 28th.
