Going to Florida to play golf over spring break. It doesn't get any better than that. Well, maybe it does.

The women's golf team learned over break that everything isn't always bright in the Sunshine State.

The team was optimistic heading into the week. It had won the Lady Lion Invitational and had had a strong winter practice.

The Lady Lions played in two tournaments during the week on unfamiliar courses. They played first at the Peggy Kirk Bell Invitational in Winter Springs, Fla. on March 9-10. They finished a disappointing 12th out of 18 teams with a 1011 total in the 54-hole event. Big Ten rival Minnesota won the tourney with a 937 total.

"I was somewhat surprised that we didn't do better than we did," Assistant Coach Denise St. Pierre said. "We certainly learned quite a bit from our experience and how we did. The biggest problem we had was a lack of confidence and concentration."

Sophomore Kristin Lindgren felt the team was not too discouraged.

"We didn't play up to our potential but we did okay for our first tournament," she said. "Other teams had an advantage over us because they had already been playing competitively. It was also a new course for us."

Seniors Meg Young and Kristin Clark led the team. Young had rounds of 86, 78 and 82 for a 246 total and team captain Clark shot a 83-85-80--248.

The golfers then headed to Tampa for the Snowbird Intercollegiate. Fourteen teams competed in the tournament and Penn State tied for fifth with 653 total. Central Florida, with a home state advantage, won the tournament with a 617 total.

"At the end of the week things started to come together for us," St. Pierre said. "I started to see some of the players come around. They're still not there as far as what they should be shooting, but the tournament was a swing in the right direction."

Young finished tied for fifth, shooting a 76-80-156. Freshman Colleen Scally also had an impressive showing with rounds of 79 and 83 for a 162 total.

"I was very pleased with the way Meg Young played," St. Pierre said. "Her scores were not even indicative of how well she played. She played even better."

The team will next compete in the William & Mary Invitational on March 21-22 in Williamsburg, Va. The Lady Lions won the tournament last year and are looking to defend their title.