ORLANDO, Fla. -- Despite improvement in each round, the women's golf team finished 10th in a field of 16 teams last week in competition over spring break.

Penn State, the only northern school at the University of Central Florida's tournament was at a disadvantage because this was not only its first competition this spring, but also the first time in three months that the golfers were able to play 18 holes.

South Florida won the tournament by shooting 914. Miami and UNC-Wilmington placed second and third, with scores of 936 and 953, respectively. South Florida's Sue Veasey took individual honors with 221.

Penn State assistant coach Denise St. Pierre said the tournament was too much too soon for the Lady Lions, who shot 342-338-328. The 1,008 total is far above their fall season average.

"Given a different time, say in three or four weeks, there would have been different results," she said. "We should be pleased with our finish in such a strong field."

After playing the first two days in windy conditions, Penn State was in 10th place. Because they were 17 strokes out of ninth, the team did not concentrate on advancing. Instead the Lady Lions attempted to perfect their game in preparation for a return visit to Florida next week for a tournament at Rollins College.

Cathy Gitzendanner led Penn State with a 245 finish. Her 79 in the first round was the only Lady Lion score under 80. Marks of 86 and 80 rounded out her scoring.

Gitzendanner said the team's inability to play outside all winter hampered it during the tournament.

"It's not that I adjusted better," she explained. "It's just a matter of getting your pace, rhythm and competitiveness back."

Gitzendanner also said it was difficult getting back into the competitive state of mind. Development of a pre-shot routine gave her the confidence she needed to do well, she said.

Kristin Clark and Meg Young each shot a 256. While Clark was fairly consistent all three rounds, Young improved 14 strokes the second day. Young said she was too anxious the first day and that she expected low scores to come easily -- like they had in the fall.

"It was a learning experience for us," she said "Now we know we can't jump into a tournament and expect to play great because it's not going to come that quickly."

Wendy MacTurk, who is usually Penn State's No. 1 golfer, had the team's highest total entering the final round. Because the person with the highest score goes first, MacTurk played ahead of her teammates for the the first time in her collegiate career.

Jackie Foust and Brenda Williamson rounded out the scoring with 264 and 266, respectively. Foust said the other teams might have been trying to psyche them out by making references to the weather, but that the comments had no effect on Penn State's performance.

Clark, however, did say the different grass did have an effect on the play. Balls react differently on the bent grass than on the grass on the northern courses. Because of this, the Lady Lions spent an hour after each round practicing in hopes of improving their play in the Peggy Kirk-Bell Invitational.

Also, despite using PGA-approved sunblock 30, the 80 degree temperatures left the team badly sunburned. Although the team said the conditions did not effect their play, Gitzendanner wrapped her arm in a towel the last four holes of the second round because of a bad burn. "You don't think about the sunburn when you are swinging -- only afterward when it hurts," she said

Sunburn and different grass were not the only things the Lady Lions had to contend with at the Rio Pinar County Club. Teams were warned not to attempt to retrieve balls from the water because of poisonous snakes. Water moccasins in the hazards usually strike when the water is disturbed.

Even though the team had to avoid snakes and monkey squirrels on the course, St. Pierre said she is glad Penn State chose to play in the Florida tournament because it will prime them for Rollins.

"The girls have had excellent attitudes," St. Pierre. "They have walked off the course with their heads high and haven't been down on themselves. That will help us in the the tournaments ahead."

"We have to keep in mind that that this is the first tournament of the season," Foust added. "There are definitely good things to come."