Bird, Huskers Finish Strong at UNLV

Boulder City, Nev. - Mary Kate Bird fired a season-best 71 to lead the Nebraska women's golf team to a season-best 293 in the final round of the UNLV Spring Invitational on Wednesday.

Bird, a senior from Kansas City, Mo., used her one-under-par final round to finish 19th with a three-round total of 220 (73-76-71) on the 6,244-yard, par-72 layout at the Boulder Creek Golf Course.

Bird's strong effort helped the Huskers climb into a tie for 11th in the final team standings in the 15-team tournament. The Huskers closed with their second-best team score of the season (911) despite an opening round 314 in Monday's first round, which left them in 15th.

The Huskers began to rebound with a 304 on Tuesday, before putting together their best round of the season with a five-over-par 293 on Wednesday. NU's 293 tied for the sixth-best team score of the day in the tournament, which was won by nationally ranked Pepperdine. The Waves ran away with the title with a 20-under-par 844 for the tournament. BYU finished second at 858.

In addition to Bird's season-best 71, junior Kayla Knopik added an even-par 72 to finish in a tie for 40th with a 54-hole total of 227. Freshman Steffi Neisen pitched in a one-under-par 73 to close with a three-round total of 234 to finish in a tie for 56th.

Fellow freshman Katelyn Wright, a Nevada native, added a 73 of her own while playing as an individual outside of the NU lineup. Wright finished in a tie for 52nd at 232.

Juniors Madeleine Shiels and Katie Keiser eached closed with final round 77s to complete the NU contingent. Sheils finished in a tie for 49th (231), while Keiser tied for 63rd (238).

BYU's Kelsey Vines (66-70-70) and Pepperdine's Danielle Kang (71-69-66) each played three impressive rounds to finish atop the individual standings at 206.

Nebraska continues spring action next week at the BYU at Entrada Classic. The two-day tournament begins on March 21.

Team Leader Board
Course:Boulder Creek Golf Club: UNLV Spring Invitational     Par 72 - 6244 yards
current position	team	scoring			rounds			total score
		to par	thru	today	1	2	3
1	25 Pepperdine	-20	F	-7	285	278	281	844
2	BYU	-6	F	+5	280	285	293	858
3	24 Oklahoma	-1	F	+1	282	292	289	863
4	North Texas	+18	F	-1	300	295	287	882
5	44 Tulsa	+19	F	-1	300	296	287	883
6	42 UNLV	+31	F	+13	296	298	301	895
7	Baylor	+35	F	+3	301	307	291	899
8	Colorado State	+38	F	+6	303	305	294	902
9	Idaho	+40	F	+5	297	314	293	904
10	Oregon State	+42	F	+7	301	310	295	906
11	Nebraska	+47	F	+5	314	304	293	911
12	Ball State	+49	F	+16	301	308	304	913
13	New Mexico State	+51	F	+18	306	303	306	915
14	Wyoming	+67	F	+18	302	323	306	931
15	South Dakota State	+84	F	+33	309	318	321	948