STATESBORO, Ga. – After having its second round stopped because of darkness, Illinois State closed out the second round and finished the third on a soggy course at the Georgia Southern Golf Course, as the Redbirds finished in sixth place overall in the field with a three-round 944 (310, 318, 316).
Seminole State-Florida won the team title with a tournament total of 920 with host Georgia Southern taking second with a 921, and Jacksonville State third with a 927. High Point (937) and UNCG (943) all finished just ahead of the Redbirds while Georgia State (947), Gardner-Webb (953), Winthrop (960), Murray State (967), Appalachian State (971), and Marshall (997) rounded out the 12 schools in the field.
The individual leader for the Redbirds was senior Emma Sutton, who carded matching 79's over the second and third rounds, and her 233 over the tournament gave her a tie for the eighth-place finish in the field. Over the last two rounds, the Adelaide, South Australia, native recorded three birdies and 18 pars to finish the tournament 17 strokes over par. The top-10 finish was the first of her Redbird career.
Sophomore Ali Schrock was the second ISU finisher in the tournament, and her three-round 237 (79, 81, 77) put her in a tie for 26th in the field. Schrock had a pair of birdies over the final two rounds to go along with 20 pars, closing the tournament 21 strokes over par on the difficult course.
Emma Rouger, the reigning Missouri Valley Conference Golfer of the Week, shot a nearly-even 238 with rounds of 81, 78, and 79 over the two days. Over the last two rounds, the Orleans, France, native had a trio of birdies with 20 pars, 10 pars in each of the two rounds. Her three-round 238 put her in a tie for 29th in the field of 68 golfers.
After starting strong with an opening-round 76, senior Becca Black carded rounds of 83 and 81 to finish her two-day, three-round tournament with a 240. She finished her final two rounds with 19 pars and a birdie, closing the tournament at 24 strokes over par, good for 33rd place overall.
Senior Paige Seiser ended the tournament in sole possession of 39th place with a three-round score of 243 (83, 85, 75). The Waukee, Iowa, native saved her best for last, as she improved her score by 10 strokes between the second and third rounds, closing the tournament with a final-round 75 including four birdies. Over her final two rounds she had 17 pars and the four birdies.
Freshman Avalon Woodward – in her second collegiate tournament – tied for 40th in the field with a balanced three-round 244 (80, 80, 84). Her middle-round 80 saw 10 pars, while in her final round she had a birdie and eight pars for the 84.
The squad returns to competition at the Lady Thunderbird Invitational, hosted by Southern Utah University on March 11-12 at the Sunbrook Golf Club in St. George, Utah.
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