Thiele Leads Big Red to Top 10 at Pinehurst

Pinehurst, N.C. - Haley Thiele fired a career-best three-round score of 214 to tie for 11th individually, while leading the Nebraska women's golf team to a tie for 10th in a 19-team field at the Pinehurst Challenge on Tuesday.

Thiele, a freshman from Wahoo, Neb., closed her impressive 54-hole performance with a one-over-par 73 in Tuesday's final round. Her two-under-par total over three rounds included a career-best 68 in Monday's second round.

Morgan Smejkal, a senior from Columbus, Neb., added a 73 of her own on the 5,949-yard layout of Pinehurst No. 1 on Tuesday to notch her third consecutive top-20 finish of the fall. Smejkal finished with a career-best three-round total of her own with a 218, bettering the 220 she shot last week at Nebraska's Chip-N Club Invitational.

Senior Cassie Deeg (Hugo, Minn.) pitched in a 74 to finish in a tie for 37th with a three-round total of 221.

Sophomore Audrey Judd (Olathe, Kan.) helped the Huskers jump four spots in the team standings in the final round with a team-best even-par 72 on Tuesday. Judd closed the tournament tied for 79th at 231.

Those four Huskers helped Nebraska produce a final-round 292 to finish with a season-best 883 over three rounds. East Carolina rolled to the team title with a three-round score of 857 (-7), including a 287 Tuesday. Chattanooga finished second at 863 (-1).

Alessandra Liu from William & Mary took medalist honors with an impressive 54-hole total of 206 (-10), while Elon's Emily Brooks finished second at 209 (-7).

Junior Sarah Pravecek (Omaha, Neb.) managed a final-round 79 to tie for 94th in a 104-player field at 238. Senior Cassidy Stelzmiller (Placerville, Calif.), who was playing as an individual outside Nebraska's five-golfer lineup, closed with a 76 on Tuesday to tie for 75th individually at 230.

Nebraska will close its fall campaign by traveling to Las Vegas for the UNLV Collegiate, Oct. 25-27.

Pinehurst Challenge
Oct. 12-13, 2015
Pinehurst Course No. 1
Par 72, 5,949 Yards

Final Team Results

1. East Carolina - 287-283-287-857 (-7)
2. Chattanooga - 287-288-288-863 (-1)
3. Elon - 295-280-291-866 (+2)
T4. Iowa - 288-285-300-873 (+9)
T4. Maryland - 301-287-285-873 (+9)
T6. East Tennessee State - 296-289-290-875 (+11)
T6. William & Mary - 291-292-292-875 (+11)
8. North Florida - 290-287-300-877 (+13)
9. Penn State - 296-285-301-882 (+18)
T10. Nebraska - 298-293-292-883 (+19)
T10. College of Charleston - 287-295-301-883 (+19)
T12. Morehead State - 294-296-299-889 (+25)
T12. Samford - 297-293-299-889 (+25)
14. Charleston Southern - 293-296-301-890 (+26)
15. Western Carolina - 297-298-300-895 (+31)
16. High Point - 305-298-295-898 (+34)
17. UNCG - 305-312-310-927 (+63)
18. Marshall - 314-304-312-930 (+66)
19. Illinois State - 314-303-315-932 (+68)

Final Individual Results

1. Alessandra Liu, William & Mary - 71-65-70-206 (-10)
2. Emily Brooks, Elon - 70-67-72-209 (-7)
T3. Vivienne Chin, East Tennessee State - 73-68-69-210 (-6)
T3. Rachel Walker, Old Dominion - 71-71-68-210 (-6)
T5. Kelsey Badmaev, Elon - 74-67-70-211 (-5)
T5. Kate Law, East Carolina - 70-69-72-211 (-5)
T7. Mary Dawson, North Florida - 68-72-72-212 (-4)
T7. Louise Olsson, College of Charleston - 67-69-76-212 (-4)
T9. Katie Edelblut, William & Mary - 68-71-74-213 (-3)
T9. Monica San Juan, Chattanooga - 70-73-70-213 (-3)
T11. Haley Thiele, Nebraska - 73-68-73-214 (-2)
T11. Lisa Pettersson, East Carolina - 72-71-71-214 (-2)
T11. F. Gustafsson Spang, East Carolina - 72-70-72-214 (-2)

Nebraska Individuals
T11. Haley Thiele - 73-68-73-214 (-2)
T20. Morgan Smejkal - 72-73-73-218 (+2)
T37. Cassie Deeg - 73-74-74-221 (+5)
*T75. Cassidy Stelzmiller - 76-78-76-230 (+14) 
T79. Audrey Judd - 81-78-72-231 (+15)
T94. Sarah Pravecek - 80-79-79-238 (+22)