Redbirds finish 5th at Hawkeye Invitational

[October 06, 2008]  IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Juniors Britt Knutson and Stacey Miller led the Illinois State women's golf team to a fifth-place finish at the Hawkeye Invitational Sunday afternoon at the Finkbine Public Golf Course in Iowa City. The Redbirds finished the 54-hole tournament by shooting a team score of 944 (317-310-317). Knutson (77-81-77) and Miller (78-78-79) each carded a 19-over-par 235, to finish in a tie for 18th place, while they both finished in the individual top 25 for the third time this season.

Junior Laura Harris and senior Marci Hill also finished the two-day tournament in a tie for 36th place. Harris (81-78-81) and Hill (81-79-80) fired a 24-over-par 240 three-round total. Rounding out the top five for ISU was Christine Larson, who finished the tournament with a 54-hole total score of 241 (82-75-84), which put her in three-way tie for 43rd place.

Freshman Jackie Leonard completed the Redbird lineup by competing individually, and finished the tournament with a score of 261 (89-85-87).

"We are disappointed with the way we played today," said head coach Darby Sligh. "We made little mistakes that we should not have made. We are going to use this week to correct our mistakes before we head down to the Starmount Fall Classic."

Ball State won the tournament by firing a team score of 921. Iowa, the host school, carded a 926 to take second place, while Missouri Valley Conference member Northern Iowa tallied a team score of 929 to finish in third place.

Illinois State finished ahead of fellow Valley members Bradley (948), Drake (953) and Creighton (975).

The Redbirds will have a week off before traveling east to Greensboro, N.C., to compete in the UNC-G/Starmount Fall Classic. The tournament will be held at the Starmount Country Club, and is a three-day event scheduled for Oct. 12-14.

[Text from file received from ISU]