LAKEWOOD, Fla. – The Northern Illinois University women’s golf team split its matches on the final day of the 2016 MAC Match Play at the Lakewood Ranch Golf and Country Club Tuesday.

The Huskies suffered a 3-2 setback to No. 7 Kent State before defeating Akron, 3-1-1, to finish the event in third place.

“The morning match with Kent State was pretty exciting,” said NIU head coach Kim Kester. “Going into the afternoon, we were down late, got off to a slow start. Connie comes back and wins her match. Brielle wins her match and Sydney got her point.

“It was good to see us close it out and play til the end. We obviously didn’t give up.”

Connie Ellett (Hampshire, Ill./Hampshire) and Brielle Ward (Frisco, Texas/Wakeland) came up big for the Huskies in both matches.

Ellett trailed in both her matches on Tuesday. She was down two holes through 15 holes against Kent State’s Michaela Finn. Ellett birdied her final three holes, while Finn was only able to par holes 16-18 and NIU took that match.

In her second match, Ellett trailed much of the round with Akron’s Alejandra Velasco. Down by one with two holes to play, the Huskie senior birdied 17 and pared 18, while Velasco pared her final two holes giving Ellett the win.

Ward was all square with Taylor Kim through the front nine. The two battled through the next four holes. Ward then birdied No. 14 to take a lead she wouldn’t relinquish, winning the match 1 Up.

The Huskie freshman never trailed in her second match of the day. With the match all square after five holes, Ward pared the sixth hole, while Akron’s Frida Fougberg bogeyed the hole. Ward never looked back winning the match, 3 & 2, birding No. 16 while Fougberg pared the hole.

“Match play is a different mindset,” Kester said. “This is Brielle’s first match play tournament ever. For Connie in particular, I know she gets down but she’ll bring it back and at least halve the match. We saw that all week. She’s a senior and put the team on her back. To see a freshman step up big, especially yesterday, when we needed to get that point against Western. Brielle stepped up big.”

Sydney Brickey (Burtchville, Mich./Shattuck-St. Mary’s) and Kelly Anderson (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton-Warrenville South) came through for NIU in its win over the Zips.

Anderson, who lost her first match of the day, 4 & 3, bounced back in her second match. Anderson was all square with Pader Her, rallying from a one hole deficit late in the round. Trailing by one after 16, Anderson birdied 17 and the two pared 18 for the tie.

Brickey, who suffered a 4 & 3 setback to Josee Doyon in her first match, turned around and posted a 2 Up win over Arkon’s Makayla Dull. With the match all square after 16 holes, Brickey birdied 17 and pared 18, while Dull pared and bogeyed her final two holes to give the Huskie junior the win.

The Huskies return to the course Feb. 26 when NIU travels to Rio Verde, Ariz. to compete in the Rio Verde Invitational.

Kent State 3, NIU 2
Josee Doyon (KSU) def. Sydney Brickey (NIU), 4 & 3
Connie Ellett (NIU) def. Michaela Finn (KSU), 1 Up
Amira Alexander (KSU) def. Kelly Anderson (NIU), 4 & 3
Brielle Ward (NIU) def. Taylor Kim (KSU), 1 Up
Wad Phaewchimplee def. Lena Gautier (NIU), 2 Up

NIU 3, Akron 1
Sydney Brickey (NIU) def. Makayla Dull (UA), 2 Up
Connie Ellett (NIU) def. Alejandra Velasco (UA), 1 Up
Kelly Anderson (NIU), Pader Her (UA) All Square
Brielle Ward (NIU) def. Frida Fougberg (UA), 3 & 2
Danielle Nicholson (UA) def. Lena Gautier (NIU), 6 & 4

-NIU-