LAKEWOOD, Fla. -- The Northern Illinois University women's golf team defeated Western Michigan in its first match of the 2016 MAC Match Play at the Lakewood Ranch Golf and Country Club Monday.

The Huskies won their match with the Broncos in a scorecard playoff with the most holes won. The scorecard playoff goes to the team that won the most holes. NIU took the match by winning six holes to Western Michigan's five.

Heading into the tournament, NIU head coach Kim Kester wanted to see improvement from her team's short game and she wasn't disappointed. Connie Ellett (Hampshire, Ill./Hampshire) and Brielle Ward (Frisco, Texas/Wakeland) drained big putts on their final holes to keep the Huskies in contention for the win.

"It was really the freshman and Connie that were unbelievable today," Kester said. "Connie took it to 18. She told me walking down 18 that she had the hole and she did. That's the kind of stuff you want to see out of your senior.

"Kelly put the gas pedal down from the beginning and didn't let up, which is a good thing that we want to see as well. Brielle drained a seven footer to birdie and win her match."

On her approach shot on 18, Ellett dropped the ball 10 feet from the hole. Then her playing competitor, Claire Hernandez, hit right after her and put the ball a foot from the hole. Ellett drained a 10-foot downhill, putt for an eagle to tie her match.

Ellett was all square with Hernandez after her dramatic putt on 18, while Ward defeated Sarah White, 1 Up. Ward and White entered 18 all squared, but Ward's birdie allowed the Huskie freshman to win the match.

Sydney Brickey (Burtchville, Mich./Shattuck-St. Mary's) battled in match. Brickey was two up through the front nine, however, was unable to keep that momentum at the turn. WMU's Julia Champion caught up to Brickey in the next three holes, before taking the lead on No. 13.

Lena Guatier (La Celle Saint Cloud, France/Creteil) was unable to get into a groove. She dropped her match, 3 & 2, to Chloe Lawrie.

The fourth-seeded Huskies will face top-seeded Kent State. The first tee time for Match Nine will begin at 6:50 a.m. CT. There will be live scoring available at Golfstat.com.

"This is our first time this year seeing Kent State," Kester said. "They're ranked number seventh in the country right now. We're definitely looking forward to playing them."

NIU 2-2-1, WMU 2-2-1
Julia Champion (WMU) def. Sydney Brickey (NIU), 2 Up
Connie Ellett (NIU), Claire Hernandez (WMU), All Square
Kelly Anderson (NIU) def. Kaitlyn Watkins (WMU), 5 & 4
Brielle Ward (NIU) def. Sarah White (WMU), 1 Up
Chloe Lawrie def. Lena Gautier (NIU), 3 & 2

-NIU-