Sedona, Ariz. - The Nebraska women's golf team fired its best round of the spring season with its final-round 303 to finish in fourth place with a two-round total of 624 at the 16-team Red Rocks Invitational in Sedona, Ariz., on Sunday.
Junior Elli Brown earned her sixth top-10 finish of the season and first of the spring by tying for eighth place with a 36-hole score of 151. Brown, a native of Meridian, Idaho, closed the tournament with a three-over-par 75 in the second round on the par-72, 6,114-yard layout of the Oakcreek Country Club course.
Brown finish four strokes off the pace set by co-champions Liliana Alvarez of Northwestern and Diana Hong of Washington State, who both finished with two-round totals of 147.
Northwestern held off a strong final charge from the Cougars on Sunday. WSU produced the best round of the tournament with a 292 to shave 10 strokes off the Wildcats' lead heading into Sunday's competition, but Northwestern managed a 302 on Sunday to win the tournament by one stroke at 601. WSU finished second at 602, while Michigan took third at 609, 15 strokes ahead of the Huskers.
Senior Chrissie McArdle made Nebraska's biggest move up the leaderboard on the final day of competition. The Eden Prairie, Minn., native fired a season-best 73 over the final 18 holes to jump 21 spots into a tie for 23rd. McArdle closed the tournament at 156.
Freshman Kate White added a solid round with a 75 to finish in a tie for 32nd at 159. Junior Allison Stewart managed an 80 to finish in a tie for 39th at 161. Freshman JC Stevenson contributed an 81 for the second straight day to finish in a tie for 45th at 162, while fellow freshman Charlotte Wendner closed the tournament at 171 in a tie for 70th while playing as an unattached individual.
Nebraska Coach Robin Krapfl said she was pleased with the Huskers' performance on Sunday.
"We played pretty well today, especially Chrissie," Krapfl said. "She played like the old Chrissie and it was good to see her go low. Hopefully that will help us in our upcoming tournaments. Elli and Kate were solid again."
Nebraska will continue its spring road trip to the Southwest next week with the UNLV Invitational March 12-14 in Boulder City, Nev.
Red Rocks Invitational
March 3-4
Sedona, Ariz. (Host: Northern Arizona)
Oakcreek Country Club
Par 72, 6,114 Yards
Final Team Standings
1. Northwestern (299-302-601)
2. Washington State (310-292-602)
3. Michigan (308-301-609)
4. Nebraska (321-303-624)
5. Eastern Michigan (314-313-627)
6. Northern Arizona (317-311-628)
7. Wyoming (317-313-630)
8. Montana State (326-307-633)
9. Portland State (325-317-642)
10. William & Mary (320-325-645)
11. UC Riverside (331-318-649)
12. Western Michigan (336-316-352)
13. Gonzaga (346-310-656)
14. Portland (336-325-661)
15. Montana (326-339-665)
16. Utah Valley State (390-349-735)
Nebraska Individual Standings
T9. Elli Brown (76-75-151)
T23. Chrissie McArdle (83-73-156)
T32. Kate White (84-75-159)
T39. Allison Stewart (80-81-161)
T45. JC Stevenson (81-81-162)
T70. Charlotte Wendner (83-88-171) - IND