SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - Darby Barstad and Piper Hill tied for fourth place to help lead the Golden Bear women's golf team to a third-place team finish at the Augustana Spring Invitational. This marks the team's highest finish at a tournament this season.
On Tuesday, the Golden Bears improved by three strokes as a team, shooting 319 (+31) after shooting 322 (+34). That 641 (+65) marks the team's second-best score this season. The tournament took place at Elmwood Golf Course in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Barstad and Hill each shot identical rounds of 80 (+8) and 78 (+6) to total 158 (+14). This marked Barstad's best score and finish of her career. The 78 (+6) on Tuesday tied the junior's lowest round of the season and the second-lowest of her career.
Barstad totaled two birdies, 20 pars and 12 bogeys. She shot 40 (+4) on the front nine on Tuesday and 38 (+2) on the back nine. Her birdies came on hole two and hole 18.
Hill's 158 (+14) marked her third-best score of the season and her best score this spring. Tying for fourth place is her highest finish of the season and the fifth top-five finish of her career. She totaled 2 birdies, 19 pars and 11 bogeys
The junior added the only eagle of any golfer at the tournament on hole 10 in the second round. She also tallied a birdie on hole 14, helping her total a 38 (+2) on the back nine. Hill improved by two strokes on the front nine in round two shooting 40 (+4).
Rebecca DeLong finished in 14th shooting 162 (+18) after rounds of 80 (+8) and 82 (+10). She shot 39 (+3) on the front nine and 43 (+7) on the back nine in round two. The 14th-place finish marks her career-best and the 162 (+18) tied for her second-best total this season.
Marina Allen shot 81 (+9) in the second round, which was the third-best for the team. She totaled a score of 170 (+26) to place 35th. This marked the freshman's second-best score and second-best finish of the season.
Ella Matzke tied for 28th shooting 168 (+24) after rounds of 82 (+10) and 86 (+14). The 28th-place finish marks her second-best of the season.
The Golden Bears finished four strokes behind Sioux Falls in second place at 637 (+61). Augustana won the 11-team tournament with a score of 632 (+56).
CSP defeated South Dakota Mines in fourth place by 17 strokes. Minot State and Southwest Minnesota State tied for fifth 29 strokes behind the Golden Bears.
Maggie Veneendall of Sioux Falls won the tournament individually shooting 151 (+7). She shot 73 (+1) in the second round for the lowest of the tournament. Augustana's Lanie Veenendall shot 154 (+10) in second place and South Dakota Mines' Kenzie Schroeder placed third shooting 156 (+12). Hill and Barstad tied for fourth with Augustana's Shannon McCormick.
Concordia is back in action next week at the Wayne State Wildcat Classic on April 14-15. The tournament takes place at the Wayne Country Club.
