LAKEWOOD RANCH, Fla. – The Northern Illinois University women's golf team shot the lowest round in school history Tuesday as the Huskies claimed the championship at the season-opening Mid-American Challenge tournament at Lakewood Ranch Golf and Country Club in Lakewood Ranch, Florida.
 
The Huskies' final round score of eight-under par 280 broke the previous single round school record by seven strokes and gave NIU a 54-hole total of four-under par 860 as the Huskies came from behind to defeat second round leader Florida Gulf Coast by three strokes. The Huskies' 54-hole total mark obliterated the previous record of 882, set at the 2018 Redbird Invitational, by 22 strokes.
 
"Obviously it was a great tournament for us," said NIU head coach Kim Kester. "Everyone played great from start to finish today, and really over both days.  We came to the turn today a few strokes behind [second round leader Florida Gulf Coast] so we knew we had to have a great back nine. If you keep the mindset that you are going out to win, good things happen. Today, they went out and got it done."
 
The team played the final two holes in four under par, and the final four holes in six-under, with each player whose team counted in the final total accounting for at least one birdie. 
 
Individually, three Huskies placed in the top five for the tournament and four recorded Top 10 finishes.  Senior Lauren Ingle (Rochester Hills, Mich./Rochester Hills-Stoney Creek HS) tied the school record for lowest 54-hole score as her final round 69 put her at eight-under par 208 for the tournament.  Second-year freshman Jasmine Ly (Windsor, Ontario, Canada/Holy Names HS) posted the lowest score of the day for NIU, a career-low 68, and finished fifth at two-under 214.  Sophomore Ahra Ko (Suwanee, Ga./North Gwinnett HS), playing as an individual was fourth at four-under 212 after shooting a one-under par 71 on Tuesday.
 
Junior Sofia Gomez Enriquez (Asunción, Paraguay/Montverde Academy) continued her strong start to the season with a one-over 73 to tie for eighth with a career-low total of 217, while senior Caroline Klemp (Lansing, Kan./St. James Academy) carded her best round of the tournament, a two-under 70, to earn a Top 20 finish. 
 
"So impressed with Lauren, as a nursing major with everything she puts into that, it's remarkable to see her come out and throw those scores on the board," Kester said. "Sofia has worked really hard since COVID hit last march, not so much on the golf side, but on the mental side and that really showed today.  She didn't have the best front nine but came in one under on the back nine."
 
The win, NIU's first tournament title since the 2018 Redbird Invitational (Sept. 9-10, 2018), jump starts the Huskies' long-awaited 2021 season.
 
"We had a team goal to average 299 or below for the year and we set ourselves up pretty well for that with this tournament," Kester said. "This gives us great momentum and a confidence boost going into the rest of the spring."
 
NIU returns to action on February 28 at the Kiawah Island Classic at Kiawah Island, S.C.
 
NIU RECORDS BROKEN
Top 18 Hole Team Score: 280 (-8); Previous Record 287 (-1) at 2019 EKU Colonel Classic (March 29, 2019) and at 2019 MAC Championships (April 21, 2019)
Top 36-Hole Team Score: 580; Previous Record 584 at 2018 Redbird Invitational (Sept. 9, 2018)
Top 54-Hole Team Score: 860 (-4); Previous Record 882 at 2018 Redbird Invitational (Sept. 9-10, 2018)
Top Individual 54-Hole Score (Tied): Lauren Ingle, 69-70-69 -- 208 (-8); Ties Brielle Ward at 2016 Bradley Spring Invitational (March 13-14, 2016)
 
TEAM STANDINGS
1. NIU 291-289-280=860 (-4)
2. Florida Gulf Coast 295-283-285=863 (-1)
T3. Illinois State 299-286-291=876 (+12)
Akron 293-294-289=876 (+12)
5. Central Michigan 294-291-302=887 (+23)
6. Morehead State 305-302-285=892 (+28)
7. Ball State 307-293-297=897 (+33)
8. Toledo 308-300-293=901 (+37)
9. Bowling Green 312-304-300=916 (+52)
10. Ohio 312-300-306=918 (+54)
11. Western Illinois 327-317-304=648 (+84)
 
NIU INDIVIDUALS
3. Lauren Ingle 69-70-69=208 (-8)
4. Ahra Ko* 68-73-71=212 (-4)
5. Jasmine Ly 73-73-68=214 (-2)
T8. Sofia Gomez Enriquez 72-72-73=217 (+1)
T18. Caroline Klemp 77-74-70=221 (+5)
T41. Karen Liu 77-78-75=230 (+14)
 
TOP 5 INDIVIDUALS: 1. Sarah Edwards (FGCU) 68-69-67=204 (-12); 2. Lauren Ingle (NIU) 69-70-69=208 (-8); 3. Alisa Clark (FGCU*) 70-68-72=210 (-6); 4. Ahra Ko (NIU*) 68-73-71=212 (-4); 5. Jasmine Ly (NIU) 73-73-68=214 (-2).
 
*Played as individual.
 

---

DAY ONE RECAP

The Northern Illinois University women's golf team opened its 2021 spring campaign with two of the five lowest team rounds in school history as the Huskies broke the school record for lowest 36-hole team score at the Mid-American Challenge at Lakewood Ranch Golf and Country Club in Lakewood Ranch, Florida.
 
The Huskies' 36-hole total of four-over par 580 broke the old school record – set at the 2018 Redbird Invitational -
by four strokes as NIU posted rounds of 291 and 289.  NIU is in second place in the 11-team field, two strokes behind leader Florida Gulf Coast.
 
Senior Lauren Ingle (Rochester Hills, Mich./Rochester Hills-Stoney Creek HS) shot rounds of 69-70 and is third individually at five-under par 139.  Sophomore Ahra Ko – playing as an individual – shot a career low round of 68 in the opening round and is tied for fourth at three-under par 141. Senior Sofia Gomez Enriquez is tied for seventh after two rounds of even par 72 and returning freshman Jasmine Ly fired back-to-back rounds of 73 and is tied for 11^th.
 
-- NIU --