Story Courtesy of NIU Sports Information
NORMAL, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University women's golf team made up a seven-stroke deficit in Saturday's final round to win the Redbird Spring Invitational as freshman Jasmine Ly took medalist honors with a final round 74.
The Huskies combined for a team score of 301 Saturday for their lowest round of the tournament while tournament host and second round leader Illinois State came in at 314 to give NIU an eight-stroke victory. Valparaiso and Loyola Chicago rounded out the field. The win was NIU's second of the 2021 season, and the first since the season-opening Mid-American Challenge.
"In my opinion, yesterday wasn't a good day for us, but the team answered today and that's what you like to see," said NIU head coach Kim Kester. "We were the favorites to win this tournament, we had a lot to lose, and we did a good job of fighting to get the win. We stayed patient and kept grinding, worked through the weather which you have to do in Illinois in the spring."
Ly claimed her first collegiate tournament win with rounds of 75, 75 and 74 on the par 72 D.A. Weibring Golf Course, but only after noticing that her second round score had been incorrectly entered into the computer following Saturday's round. After confirming the correction, Ly had a one stroke win over Illinois State's Ali Schrock. Huskies have now claimed the Redbird Invitational individual title in each of the last three years it has been held as Ly followed Caroline Klemp (2019) and Brielle Ward (2018) as champions.
"To see Jasmine turn it on and play well at the end of the season is exciting going into [the MAC Championships]," Kester said. "Obviously that's what you want going into the MAC Championship. It's great to see her developing consistency; she works hard and deserves this success."
Senior Lauren Ingle recorded her third top five and fifth Top 10 finish in six tournaments this spring as her final round 76 left her in third place after rounds of 73 and 77 on Friday. The highlight of Friday's opening round came on the par 3, 132-yard 11th hole when Ingle recorded the first hole in one of her golf.
"The hole in one was great to see, I was right there for it," Kester said "It was a perfect shot, she took dead aim and the pin was in a great position. It's pretty special to have your first career hole in one come in your last regular season event as a senior."
Sophomore Ahra Ko used a second round 72 to post her second top five finish of the season as she was fifth at 12-over par 228 for the tournament. The Huskies finished with five players in the Top 10 as Sofia Gomez Enriquez and individual Emily Romancew tied for ninth at 16-over 232.
In addition to getting the win in the last tournament before the MAC Championships, set for April 24-25 in Stow, Ohio, Kester was pleased to have her entire roster compete in the Redbird Spring Invitational. In addition to its five players in the line-up, NIU sent three players to the event as individuals.
"Getting the win is great going into conference to get our confidence in the right place and we got to play in some similar conditions to what we might see at MACs," Kester said. "For me, one of the highlights was getting to see Sid [Sidney Jockisch] compete in her first college event. I was really happy she had a chance to play."
