NORMAL, Ill. - The course conditions were not kind to anyone as sustained strong winds saw the Saint Mary's golf team battle their way to a seventh place finish at the Illinois Wesleyan Kathy Niepagen Spring Fling.

 

Host and No. 19 ranked Illinois Wesleyan won the team title with a 321 on Sunday for a two-day score of 621. No. 11 ranked Washington University in St. Louis came in second with a 626 (302-324). No. 16 ranked St. Catherine took third with a 641 (308-333). The Belles shot a 346 on Sunday for a two-day score of 672 to take seventh.

 

Lexi Onsrud from Illinois Wesleyan captured the individual medalist title with a 148 (69-79).

 

Erin Bennett continued to pace the Belles as the junior shot an 84 and finished the tournament tied for 15th overall (161). Bennett was five-over on the back nine and had a birdie on par four No. 10. The junior was tied for the best par three scoring of the tournament after going even over 36 holes of play on short holes as she added nine pars and finished the tournament with 20 total pars, good for a share of the third-highest number of even scores. 

 

Sydney Hruskoci and Katherine Hopkins each turned in a score of 86 on Sunday. Hruskoci (169, t-36th overall) did not have a score higher than a double bogey on the day and was also five-over on the back nine. The senior had eight pars on Sunday for the Belles. Hopkins (169, t-36th), meanwhile, had four pars and a birdie on par three No. 4. The junior was two-over par on par three holes for the tournament to finish in the top nine in the field on par threes. 

 

Haley Angel wrapped up the team score with a 90. The sophomore tied for 45th with a two-day score of 173. She had a birdie on par for No. 6 and was in the top quarter of the field in par five scoring with a five-over effort on the weekend. Isa Patacsil was the fifth golfer in the lineup and shot a 92 on Sunday. She finished the tournament tied for 60th (178). She turned in a birdie on par four No. 6 and had four pars on Sunday.

 

Joanna James and Nani Patacsil each competed as individuals. James shot a 94 on day two and finished tied for 66th with a 180. Patacsil carded a 95 on Sunday and finished 71st with a 182.

 

The Belles compete this Friday and Saturday in the Bethel Pilot Invitational at Blackthorn Golf Club in South Bend.