Marina Alex advances to second round of 108th North and South Women's Amateur

By A. Boggs

Rising junior and first team All-American Marina Alex won her first round match at the 108th North & South Women's Amateur in Pinehurst, N.C., 5-and-4 over Chihiro Ikeda of the Phillipines. Alex, the number four seed at the prestigious match play event, will take on Austin Ernst of Seneca, S.C., an LSU signee.

Alex had five birdies in her round today, including three out of her last five holes. The Wayne, N.J., native will tee off at 8:02 Eastern on Thursday.

Commodore signee Rene Sobolewski of Buffalo, N.Y., who qualified for match play on Tuesday in an 18-hole qualifier, dropped her first-round match to number three seed Lindy Duncan on Wednesday. Sobolewski will enroll at Vanderbilt in August.

For a look at the entire 64-person bracket, click here.