Indiana University Athletics
Indiana University
Lady Northern Invitational
No. 20 Hoosiers Finish Third at Lady Northern Invitational
9/23/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
Sept. 23, 2007
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - The 20th-ranked Indiana Hoosiers women's golf team bounced back from a slow second round to post a 298 in the third and final round of the Lady Northern Invitational, finishing third at the 14-team tournament in State College Pa.
"Once again I felt like we got off to a rugged start but settled well in the middle of the round," head coach Clint Wallman said. "Things got tight for that third-place spot with Ohio State and Northwestern, but we found a way to grind it out."
Indiana was +36 (295-307-298/900) for the weekend, finishing behind Kent State (+14) and Michigan State (+19).
After battling the stomach flu over the course of the second round, senior Lauren Harling roared back on the final day to post the best IU round, coming in at 72 on the Penn State Blue Course. Harling recorded pars on four of the first six holes, but back-to-back bogeys on nine and 10 left her at three over for the round. Undaunted, Harling shot par or better on 10 of the final 11 holes, picking up birdies on 14 and 15 and posting a four on the par-five 18. Harling's three-day total of +16 left her in a tie for 25th.
"I thought everyone had a solid tournament," Wallman said. "Lauren showed a lot of character by bouncing back from illness to shoot even par today."
Senior Elaine Harris continues to lead the team as the top Hoosier finisher at the tournament with a three-round score of 221 (72-76-73), good for sixth place. Harris was +1 on the final day, shooting a 37 on the front nine and going even on the final nine holes with a pair of bogeys on 10 and 11 offset by birdies on 12 and 17.
Sophomore Kellye Belcher tied for 16th with a score of 228 (77-76-75). Showing improvement with each round, Belcher started out on the first hole with a double bogey but came back with pars on five of the next six. Belcher posted a solid back nine, going -1 with a 35 to finish the round at +1.
In her first full squad competition, junior Amber Lindgren had a solid showing with three-round total of +16 to finish tied for 25th. On Sunday Lindgren shot a 78, bogey four of her first five holes before coming up with four strokes on the par-5 ninth hole. A double bogey on 12 was followed by a birdie on 13 and six-straight pars.
Sophomore Laura Nochta posted a 78 on the final day to finish at +17 (78-77-78/233) and tied for 29th. Day three saw Nochta open with pars on holes three and four but struggled with bogeys on three of the next four. Nochta then took control of the course, coming up with four-straight pars on 13-16.
Rounding out the IU contingent, sophomore Anita Gahir turned in an 81 in the final round to finish at +19 (74-80-81/235). Gahir got off to a slow start but found her groove with 10-straight even holes. A double bogey on 17 and a triple on one dropped her to 9-over for the day.
The Hoosiers are back in action next weekend as they travel to Ann Arbor, Mich. for the Wolverine Invitational.
"This is a course we are familiar and very comfortable with," Wallman said. "I am expecting good things to happen."
Players Mentioned
