Lincoln - Temperatures cooled and winds calmed while the Nebraska women's golf team stormed to its first team tournament title since 2008, as the Huskers produced their best three-round Chip-N Club Invitational score in school history on Tuesday.
A day after golfers dealt with 100 degree temperatures and 30 mph winds, Tuesday's final round provided mid-80s and a light breeze to provide excellent scoring conditions. Nebraska took advantage by finishing with a three-round total of 874 (284-296-294) that included a final-round 294. The Huskers smashed their previous Chip-N Club team record score of 884, when they claimed their last Chip-N Club title in 2008. NU's 874 marked the second-best three-round score in school history, trailing only an 866 at the 2007 Mountain View Collegiate.
NU won the team title by 18 strokes, as Central Arkansas finished second (892) and Wichita State took third (901). Iowa (910) produced Tuesday's top round with a 293 to finish in fourth, while Missouri State (922) rounded out the top five in the final team standings.
"I am so proud of our team and the way they approached today's round," Nebraska Coach Robin Krapfl said. "They were not tentative at all. They attacked the course early and set the tone for another solid round. We left some shots out there today, but we played pretty well and closed out a tournament win."
Krapfl, who helped the Huskers to their 29th team tournament title in history, led Nebraska to its sixth Chip-N Club Invitational crown since 2003.
The Huskers produced a total team effort from their top four players in the lineup for the second straight day, highlight by Cassie Deeg's first career individual crown. The sophomore from Hugo, Minn., capped one of the best individual efforts in Chip-N Club history with a two-under-par 70 to close with a three-under 213 over 54 holes. Deeg's effort smashed her previous career-best total of 221. It also tied for the fourth-best score in tournament history, trailing only North Dakota State's Amy Anderson (2009) and Kent State's Martina Gillen (2001), who both finished with six-under-par scores of 210. Texas State's Linn Gustafson added a 212 on her way to a win in 2007.
While Deeg took medalist honors, the top four players in the NU lineup were not far behind. Steffi Neisen, who shared the tournament lead with Deeg after 36 holes, matched the best finish of her career by taking second at 217, which included a final-round 74. The senior from New Prague, Minn., notched the second top-five finish and fifth top-10 showing of her career, while posting her second-best three-round score as a collegiate player.
Fellow senior Katelyn Wright added the third top-five finish of her career by tying for fifth individually at 220. Wright, a native of Incline Village, Nev., carded her second-best 54-hole score as a collegian, including a final-round 73.
Jordan Chael capped an impressive collegiate debut by grabbing a top-10 finish of her own. The true freshman from Overland Park, Kan., tied for ninth with a three-round score of 224 that included a final-round 77.
Nebraska also received some solid efforts from young players outside the Husker lineup. Redshirt freshman Yoorim Kang close out her first career tournament with a final-round 80 to tie for 34th at 239. She finished one stroke behind sophomore Cassidy Stelzmiller, who also managed a final-round 80 to close in 33rd place individually at 238.
Nebraska enters Tuesday's final round with a 15-stroke edge over the second-place Sugar Bears (595) and a 19-stroke lead over Wichita State (599).
"It is gratifying as a coach to see your players' hard work pay off like it did the past two days," Krapfl said. "Our players have focused and committed themselves to getting better and it shows. Our team goal this year is to be the most improved team in the nation this year, and after one tournament we're off to a good start. We know we have a lot of work to do the rest of the way, though. This is just one tournament. It is a long season, but we're thrilled with a great start."
The Huskers hope to continue their early season momentum when they travel to the Minnesota Invitational, Sept. 16-17 at the Minikahda Club in Minneapolis.
2013 Chip-N Club Invitational
Host: Nebraska
Wilderness Ridge Golf Course (Lincoln, Neb.)
Monday, Sept. 9 - Tuesday, Sept. 10
Par 72 / 6,259
Final Team Standings
1. Nebraska - 284-296-294-874
2. Central Arkansas - 303-292-297-892
3. Wichita State - 307-292-302-901
4. Iowa - 306-311-293-910
5. Missouri State - 302-312-308-922
6. North Dakota State - 316-315-295-926
7. UMKC - 318-313-310-941
8. Houston Baptist - 320-319-309-948
9. Nebraska-Omaha - 327-318-322-967
10. Southern Miss - 319-336-314-969
11. South Dakota - 331-320-325-976
12. Texas A&M Corpus Christi - 321-323-333-977
13. Creighton - 330-330-336-996
Final Individual Results
1. Cassie Deeg, Nebraska - 72-71-70-213
2. Steffi Neisen, Nebraska - 70-73-74-217
3. Malin Senneryd, Central Arkansas - 73-71-74-218
4. Sarah Brown, Central Arkansas - 75-71-73-219
T5. Katelyn Wright, Nebraska - 71-76-73-220
T5. Meghan Schuetz, Wichita State - 75-69-76-220
T5. Shelby Phillips, Iowa - 76-77-67-220
8. Brenna Lervick, South Dakota - 76-71-75-222
9. Jordan Chael, Nebraska - 71-76-77-224
T10. Karly Grouwinkel, Iowa - 76-73-77-226
T10. Bryce Schroeder, Wichita State - 75-73-78-226
Nebraska Golfers
1. Cassie Deeg (So.) - 72-71-70-213
2. Steffi Neisen (Sr.) - 70-73-74-217
T5. Katelyn Wright (Sr.) - 71-76-73-220
9. Jordan Chael (Fr.) - 71-76-77-224
*33. Cassidy Stelzmiller (So.) - 80-78-80-238
*T34. Yoorim Kang (RFr.) - 77-82-80-239
*T54. Abbie Hunke (RFr.) - 78-84-86-248
T61. Morgan Smejkal (So.) - 85-83-83-251
*T61. Hannah Luebke (So.) - 85-83-83-251
* competed as an indiviudal outside the Nebraska lineup