First Day Results 

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University women’s golf team is a shot out of first place after the first two rounds of play at the Redbird Invitational Sunday at Weibring Golf Club.

NIU scored rounds of 307 and 306 in the first and second rounds respectively to finish the day with a 613 and is currently in third, one shot behind Bowling Green and Bradley. Evansville’s Kayla Katterhenry leads the field with a 146.

“One shot out of the lead, definitely a good start to the year,” said NIU head coach Kim Kester. “We definitely gave a lot of shots away that we know we can get back tomorrow and bring home a win.”

Hayley Mortensen(Tualatin, Ore./Tualatin) leads the way for NIU as the Huskie sophomore is in ninth place after scoring a 151 (75-76). Lena Gautier (La Celle Saint Cloud, France/Creteil) is in 12th after carding a 152. Gautier shot a first round 75, while posting a second round 77.

Junior Sydney Brickey (Burtchville, Mich./Shattuck-St. Mary’s) and freshman Kelly Anderson (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton-Warrenville South) are tied for 34th after scoring rounds of 157. Brickey fired an opening round 77 before scoring a second round 80. Anderson shot the same scores, only in reverse.

Senior Connie Ellett (Hampshire, Ill./Hampshire) shot a 158 (82-76). She is in 40th and rounds out the Huskie team scores. Freshman Brielle Ward (Frisco, Texas/Wakeland), who is playing as an individual, trimmed nine strokes off her first round 82 to post a 155. She is tied for 23rd.

While the Huskies played well Sunday, Kester knows her team can do better. The key to getting to the top of the leaderboard will be the Huskie’s short game.

“We had a lot of putts that didn’t go in today,” she said. “We had a lot of poor chips. We just didn’t get close enough, which put more pressure on our putting that we could convert on.”

The Huskies return to the course tomorrow for the final round of play. Shotgun start is set for 8:30 a.m. CT.

Team Scores: 1. Bowling Green (612), Bradley (612); 3. NIU (613); 4. Boston College (614); 5. Illinois State (620); T-6. Southern Illinois (621), Ohio (621); 8. Butler (623); 9. Loyola (627); 10. Oakland (632); 11. Drake (637); 12. Northern Iowa (639); T-13. Western Illinois (640), Ball State (640); 15. Evansville (641).

Individual Scores: 1. Kayla Katterhenry (UE) 146; 2. Hailey Hrynewich (OU) 148; T-3. Ally Scaccia (BU) 149, Kelsey McDougall (Butler) 149; T-5. Kiley Walsh (ISU) 150; 5. Katie Kim (BC) 150, Danielle Lemek (BU) 150, Hannah Lewis (BGSU) 150; T-9. Morgan Nadaline (BSU) 151, Fran Rodriguez (BGSU) 151, Hayley Mortensen (NIU) 151.

-NIU-