GRANGER, Ind. - The Saint Mary's golf team shot a 326 to take first place at the first 18-hole MIAA NCAA Automatic Qualifying round at Knollwood Country Club on Tuesday.

 

The Belles were 17 strokes ahead of both Hope and Adrian, who turned in team scores of 343. Calvin was fourth with a 347.

 

Sydney Hruskoci and Erin Bennett shared medalist honors at the event as the pair both shot matching rounds of 80 on a cloudy and windy afternoon. Hruskoci posted 10 pars on the day as the lone senior on the squad was celebrated after the conclusion of the round. She led the field in par four scoring, was tied for the best par three scoring, and had a birdie. Bennett, meanwhile, had just 25 putts in the round and converted 10 up-and-down opportunities. The junior also tallied 10 pars to match Hruskoci for round-best honors, was one-under on par five holes, and had two birdies.

 

Haley Angel shot an 82 to finish third overall, and Katherine Hopkins shot an 84 to tie for fourth and secure the first place finish for the Belles. Angel was tied with Hruskoci for the best par three scoring on the day while tallying nine pars and a birdie. Hopkins added nine pars of her own and was two-over on both par three and par five holes. Hopkins Isa Patacsil was the fifth golfer in the Saint Mary's lineup and shot a 91 to finish tied for 18th. Patacsil was three over on par five holes on the day to tie for 11th in the category.

 

The four teams will now face off on Friday and Saturday to determine the conference's automatic qualifier for the 2022 NCAA Division III Championships. Both rounds will take place at Hope's home course of Clearbrook Golf Club. Friday's round begins at 1:00 p.m.