Lewis reaches semifinals of U.S.Women's Amateur

NORTH PLAINS, Ore. – University of Arkansas junior Stacy Lewis blasted her way to the semifinals with a six-and-four win Friday at the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship in North Plains, Ore. The Woodlands, Texas, native defeated Ayaka Kaneko of Honolulu, Hawai’i, moving on to face Germany’s Katharina Schallenberg in a noon central match Saturday. The winner of the match faces the winner of the Lindy Duncan/Kiberly Kim Hilo in a 36-hole final Sunday at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Course. The Lewis/Kaneko match was square through the first four holes but that’s when the Lady’Back made her move. Back-to-back bogies by Kaneko on the fifth and sixth holes gave Lewis a two hole lead and she never looked back. Lewis was three up at the turn and won the 10th, 13th and 14th holes to take the match. Lewis’ Saturday opponent is 26-year-old Schallenberg who is playing in her first USGA event. Schallenberg won both the 2005 and 2006 International German Amateur Championships and is also a two-time winner of the German Match Play title. It’s been a full summer for Lewis, a two-time all-American and two-time all-Southeastern Conference first-team selection. She has elevated her game and earned the number one amateur ranking heading into this week’s event. Lewis has played nearly every week since leading Arkansas to a 10th place finish at the NCAA Championship in May. Since that time, she has finished as the runner-up at the 104th Southern Amateur, won the 106th Western Amateur Championship, became the first Lady’Back to play in an LPGA event at the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic and played in numerous local qualifiers. Lewis’ semifinal match will be televised by the Golf Channel Saturday from 7:00-9:00 p.m. For more information about Arkansas golf, log on to LADYBACKS.COM.