Manhattan, Kan. - Haley Thiele fired a second-round 71, while Sarah Pravecek notched her first career top-25 finish to lead the Nebraska women's golf team at the Marilynn Smith/Sunflower Invitational on Tuesday.
Thiele, a true freshman from Wahoo, Neb., was Nebraska's top finisher in the lineup in her first career collegiate event. Thiele's one-under-par 71 in the second round was also the Big Red's best individual round of the tournament. She closed the tournament with a final-round 75 to tie for 36th at 234 over 54 holes on the par-72, 6,243-yard layout at Colbert Hills Golf Course.
Thiele's effort helped the Huskers to a 10th-place team finish at the 12-team tournament. Nebraska's three-round team score of 939 (322-306-311) was four strokes back of Florida Gulf Coast in ninth place. SMU won the event with an 873 (296-284-293), while TCU took second at 875 (302-290-283).
SMU's Lindsey McCurdy took medalist honors with a three-round score of 214 that included a final-round 66 on Tuesday. Middle Tennessee's Avery George earned runner-up honors with a 215.
Pravecek, a junior from Omaha, was the top individual finisher for the Huskers among the 68 golfers in the tournament field. Pravecek, who played as an individual outside the Nebraska lineup, tied for 24th with a 54-hole score of 230, including a final-round 73. It marked the second-best round of Pravecek's collegiate career. She added a 75 in the second round, after opening the tournament with an 82 on Monday. Pravecek's previous best finish in a collegiate event came with her tie for 26th at last season's Chip-N Club Invitational at Wilderness Ridge.
Senior Cassie Deeg (Hugo, Minn.) produced Nebraska's No. 2 finish within the Huskers' five-player lineup, tying for 44th at 237 (82-76-79). Fellow senior Morgan Smejkal (Columbus, Neb.) added a 47th-place finish at 238 (79-83-76).
Sophomore Audrey Judd (Olathe, Kan.) added a tie for 52nd (80-86-87-243), while senior Cassidy Stelzmiller (Placerville, Calif.) rounded out the Husker lineup with a tie for 55th (81-83-80-244).
Sophomore Emily Gillman (Austin, Texas), who competed as an individual outside the Husker lineup, finished 60th (85-81-83-249).
The Huskers return to action at the GolfWeek Conference Challenge in Vail, Colo., Sept. 21-23.
Marilynn Smith/Sunflower Invitational
Colbert Hills Golf Course (Manhattan, Kan.)
Par 72, 6,243 Yards
Sept. 7-8, 2015
Final Team Standings
1. SMU - 296-284-293-873
2. TCU - 302-290-283-875
3. Middle Tennessee - 295-289-298-882
4. Kansas State - 306-295-289-890
5. Central Arkansas - 298-307-289-894
6. Missouri - 305-306-285-896
7. Kansas - 312-300-310-922
8. UALR - 311-313-305-929
9. Florida Gulf Coast - 315-326-294-935
10. Nebraska - 322-306-310-938
11. Stephen F. Austin - 322-326-306-954
12. Redlands CC - 349-345-341-1,035
Final Individual Results
1. Lindsey McCurdy, SMU - 75-73-66-214
2. Avery George, Middle Tennessee - 72-68-75-215
T3. Katie Page, SMU - 71-72-73-216
T3. Emma Svensson, Central Arkansas - 72-75-69-216
T5. Fernanda Lira, Central Arkansas - 74-73-70-217
T5. Madison Talley, Kansas State - 73-74-70-217
T7. Yupaporn Kawinpakorn, Kansas - 72-73-73-218
T7. Brooke Graebe, TCU - 77-73-68-218
9. Annika Clark, TCU - 77-70-72-219
10. Emmy Martin, TCU - 72-77-71-220
Nebraska Individuals
*T24. Sarah Pravecek - 82-75-73-230
T36. Haley Thiele - 88-71-75-234
T44. Cassie Deeg - 82-76-79-237
47. Morgan Smejkal - 79-83-76-238
T52. Audrey Judd - 80-76-87-243
T55. Cassidy Stelzmiller - 81-83-80-244
*60. Emily Gillman - 85-81-83-249
*competed as an individual outside Nebraska's lineup