DAVENPORT – The Iowa Wesleyan College women’s golf team capped a busy weekend of play by finishing ninth at the St. Ambrose University Invitational, which concluded Sunday at Emeis Golf Course.
IWC played three straight days on three different courses and had a number of encouraging performances as its fall season heated up. The Tigers had their best team round in two years on Friday at its own IWC Invitational in Muscatine, and then matched that score on Saturday while Sunday brought the team’s best individual round in nearly two years.
Wesleyan’s weekend began Friday with its annual home invite at Muscatine Municipal Golf Course. The Tigers finished sixth of seven teams but the team’s score of 377 was its best since a score of 371 at the Grand View Classic on Sept. 28, 2008.
Alyssa McClain (Jr.-Belleville, Ill.) shot the best round of her collegiate career, and her score of 91 led IWC and tied for 16th individually. Melissa Petersen (Sr.-Wilton, Iowa) tied for 29th with a round of 94 and Kayla Bishop (Jr.-Monmouth, Ill.) was right behind her in 32nd with a score of 95.
Gabby Combs (Sr.-Macomb, Ill.) placed 35th with a round of 97 to give Wesleyan all four scoring golfers below 100. Also playing for the Tigers were Michelle Lox (Jr.-Danville, Iowa), who finished 40th with a round of 105, and Stevie Schrier (Jr.-Columbus Junction, Iowa), who was 42nd with a score of 107.
Ashford University outlasted the field to win the IWC Invitational with a score of 346, ahead of Viterbo (Wis.) University (352), Mount Mercy University (359), the University of St. Francis (Ill.) with a score of 360, and St. Ambrose University (361). Ashford snapped St. Ambrose’s five-year streak winning the tourney. Lauren Lindsley of Viterbo won medalist honors.
The Tigers then played Saturday and Sunday in the St. Ambrose Invite, which was played on two different courses. The meet opened on Saturday at Glynn’s Creek Golf Course before moving to Emeis on Sunday. As a team IWC played consistently, opening with a round of 377 on Saturday and finishing with a 378 on Sunday.
Petersen led the Tigers and tied for 16th individually with two solid rounds, shooting a 90 on Saturday before finishing with an 86 on Sunday that is Wesleyan’s lowest round since Ashlee Winner shot an 84 at the Grand View Classic in 2008.
Bishop also shot a 90 on Saturday before finishing with a 92 on Sunday to tie for 31st place. Combs tied for 42nd with round of 95 and 97, McClain tied for 51st with scores of 102 and 110 and Schrier tied for 57th with rounds of 112 and 103 for a total of 215.
IWC’s next event will be Oct. 3 when the team competes in the Clarke University Fall Invitational at Thunder Hill Country Club in Peosta, Iowa.
IWC Invitational Results
SAU Invitational Results
