Peoria, Ariz. - Steffi Neisen fired a final-round 70 to notch her first top-25 finish of the spring to lead the Nebraska women's golf team at the Westbrook Invitational on Tuesday.
Neisen, a junior from New Prague, Minn., closed the 75-player tournament in a tie for 22nd with a season-best 226 (78-78-70) over three rounds on the par-72, 6,269-yard layout of the Vistas Course at the Westbrook Village Golf Club.
With Neisen leading the way, the Huskers recorded their best team round of the season with a 296. NU's previous top round came with a 299 in the second round of the Price's "Give 'Em Five" Invitational in Las Cruces, N.M., Oct. 9.
Junior Katelyn Wright added a final-round 75 to finish in a tie for 48th at 233 (78-80-75). Redshirt freshman Jackie O'Doherty added a 75, while fellow redshirt freshman Morgan Smejkal matched her season best with a 76 in the final round to close out the team scoring for the Huskers. Smejkal tied for 61st (82-79-76-237) in the tournament, while O'Doherty finished 71st (83-83-75-241).
True freshman Cassie Deeg managed a final-round 78 to close the tournament in a tie for 64th (77-83-78-238).
Redshirt freshman Cassidy Stelzmiller contributed the best tournament performance of her young career while playing as an individual outside Nebraska's lineup. The native of Placerville, Calif., fired a final-round 77 to finish with a career-best 54-hole score of 234.
As a team, Nebraska finished 13th with a three-round total of 930. No. 15 Texas Tech won the 13-team tournament with a score of 862, five strokes ahead of No. 7 Arkansas (867). No. 9 Washington took third at 874. Arkansas' Gabriela Lopez claimed medalist honors with a three-round score of 208 that included a final-round 66 on Tuesday.
Nebraska will take next week off from competition before returning to action at the Clover Cup in Mesa, Ariz., March 8-10.
Westbrook Spring Invitational
Host: Wisconsin
Westbrook Village Golf Club (Vistas Course)
Par 72, 6,269 Yards
Feb. 24-25, 2013
Final Team Results
1. #15 Texas Tech - 300-285-277-862
2. #7 Arkansas - 296-287-284-867
3. #9 Washington - 291-294-289-874
T4. #50 Indiana - 306-305-292-903
T4. Mississippi State - 299-307-297-903
6. Kansas State - 303-305-296-904
7. Washington State - 314-301-291-906
T8. #42 Wisconsin - 305-301-305-911
T8. Eastern Michigan - 308-303-300-911
10. Iowa - 304-308-300-912
11. Illinois - 310-309-295-914
12. Colorado State - 316-300-304-920
13. Nebraska - 315-319-296-930
Individual Results
1. Gabriela Lopez, Arkansas - 72-70-66-208
T2. Kimberly Kaufman, Texas Tech - 73-71-66-210
T2. SooBin Kim, Washington - 72-70-68-210
4. Elin Arvidsson, Texas Tech - 75-67-69-211
5. Charlotte Thomas, Washington - 70-74-70-214
T6. Emma Lavy, Arkansas - 71-75-73-219
T6. Regina Plasencia, Arkansas - 74-73-72-219
T6. Kristen Schelling, Indiana - 75-73-71-219
T9. Mallory Kent, Washington State - 75-74-71-220
T9. Cyd Okino, Washington - 73-71-76-220
T9. Kris Yoo, Wisconsin - 75-70-75-220
Nebraska Individuals
T22. Steffi Neisen - 78-78-70-226
T48. Katelyn Wright - 78-80-75-233
*T56. Cassidy Stelzmiller - 79-78-77-234
T61. Morgan Smejkal - 82-79-76-237
T64. Cassie Deeg - 77-83-78-238
71. Jackie O'Doherty - 83-83-75-241
* played as an individual outside Nebraska's lineup