ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Interesting sidenote to today's action: Though Duke seems like a longshot to become four-time defending national champions now, junior Amanda Blumenherst's candidacy as National Player of the Year is still very much on the line.
Blumenherst's main competition for the honor is Arkansas' Stacy Lewis. Lewis has won six tournaments this year to Blumenherst's four, but the Blue Devil has had much stiffer competition in her victories. Currently, Lewis is in seventh at 3-over and Blumenherst is sitting in a tie for 14th at 7-over, so she needs to overtake Lewis today to make her case.
Blumenherst has never finished outside the top 10 in any tournament in her career at Duke--that's 31 straight--but her streak is on the line today. Look for the junior to make a run to keep both the run and her candidacy alive.
--by Sabreena Merchant
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