BARTONVILLE, Ill. – The Illinois State women's golf team finished seven strokes off the lead; however, in a tight and deep field those seven strokes put the squad in fifth place overall as ISU carded a final-round 308, the third-lowest third-round score in the field on the day.
Avalon Woodward led the Redbirds during the day, and her final-round 76 saw her finish in a tie for second place in the field – her best individual finish in her Redbird career. Kira Wolf – playing as an individual – placed fifth overall with a three-round 228.
Butler won a tiebreaker with Western Illinois for the top team finish, as each ended the tournament with a three-round 927. Bradley (930) and Green Bay (933) edged out Illinois State's 934. Evansville (954), Northern Iowa (965), Dayton (968), and Idaho State (971) rounded out the nine schools in the field.
Woodward and Vinisha Gunaseelan each shot a final-round 76 to lead the team, while Wolf shot a 77, and Ali Schrock, Emma Rouger, and Dani Grace Schrock each shot a final-round 78.
Woodward opened her day on the par-four fifth hole and opened with three consecutive pars, before she had a bogey, par, and birdie over her next three holes to stay at even par one third of the way through her final round. She closed her final dozen holes with eight pars to close her tournament with a 76 and a three-round 225, a single stroke off a tie of first place in the field.
Gunaseelan had three birdies over her final round – giving her four for the entirety of the tournament. Opening on the eighth hole, she started with three pars and a bogey over her opening four holes before she dropped back to even par with a birdie on the 12th hole. After a birdie, two bogeys and five pars put her at one over par with five holes remaining, she closed her day with four bogeys and a birdie in the final five to close with the four-over 76. Behind her final-round effort the finished the three rounds with a 237, in sole possession of 22nd.
Wolf's 228 for the tournament had her finish fifth, as her final round opened with a bogey on the par-four 15th hole before recovering with four pars and two birdies in her next six holes to sit at one stroke under par. Over her final 11 holes she had eight pars and closed the day with the five-over 77.
ISU's Schrock sisters – Ali and Dani Grace – each carded a final-round 78, and each a three-round 236 which is tied for 18th overall. Ali Schrock had three birdies and an eagle in her six-over round, while Dani Grace had 11 pars and a birdie for her 78.
The final member of the ISU squad in the tournament field and ended with a final-round 78, placing in a tie of 28th over the three rounds with a 242.
The Redbirds close their fall season next weekend when the squad travels to Charleston, South Carolina, to compete in the Buccaneer Classic hosted by Charleston Southern University on Monday, and Tuesday, October 17 and 18.
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