Columbus, Ohio - Kate Smith shot a final-round 75 to finish in 12th place individually while leading the Nebraska women's golf team to an eighth-place finish at the Lady Buckeye Invitational on Sunday.
Smith, a junior from Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, finished with a three-round total of 223 (74-74-75) to produce the 20th top-25 finish of her career, including her sixth this season. Smith finished ahead of four golfers ranked among the top-75 nationally, including No. 28 Aneka Seumanutafa from Ohio State, who was playing on her home course and finished 13th at 224.
Redshirt freshman Kirsten Baete (Beatrice, Nebraska) carded the best round of the day for the Huskers with a two-over-par 74 on the 6,319-yard layout at the Scarlet Course. She finished in a tie for 29th at 229 (79-76-74) with fellow Husker and Haley Thiele (Wahoo, Nebraska). Thiele capped her 54-hole score with a 76 to close at 229 (76-77-76).
Sophomore Noor Ahmed (Folsom, California) completed Nebraska's 301 team total on Sunday with a final-round 76. As a team, the Huskers finished with a three-round score of 909 (304-304-301).
Freshman Megan Whittaker (Elkhorn, Nebraska) tied for 49th overall at 235 (75-77-83) while competing inside the Husker lineup for the first time in her career in the six-count-four format at the Lady Buckeye.
Sophomore Hannah Thiele (Wahoo, Nebraska) managed a tie for 60th with a 239 (80-80-79).
No. 11 Kent State edged No. 20 Michigan State for the team title. Kent State shot a final-round 296 to close at 880, one stroke better than the Spartans, who put up a 299 on Sunday. Maryland (890), No. 30 Illinois (895), Michigan (896) and the hosts from Ohio State (897) rounded out the top six in the 12-team tournament field. Nebraska's final-round 301 was better than the Fighting Illini (303), Wolverines (305) and Buckeyes (306) on Sunday.
Pilar Echeverria from the University of Indianapolis took medalist honors with a one-under-par 215 over 54 holes. She edged Maryland's Virunpat Olankitkunchai (216) by a stroke.
The Huskers return to Ohio next weekend to compete in the Big Ten Conference Championships, April 19-21. Nebraska will be part of a 14-team field at TPC River's Bend Golf Club in Maineville, Ohio.
Lady Buckeye Invitational
Columbus, Ohio
Scarlet Course (Par 72, 6,319 Yards)
April 13-14, 2019
Final Team Results
1. (11) Kent State - 293-291-296-880 (+16)
2. (20) Michigan State - 288-294-299-881 (+17)
3. Maryland - 296-296-298-890 (+26)
4. (30) Illinois - 298-294-303-895 (+31)
5. Michigan - 297-294-305-896 (+32)
6. Ohio State - 293-298-306-897 (+33)
7. Indianapolis - 296-296-310-902 (+38)
8. Nebraska - 304-304-301-909 (+45)
9. Rutgers - 304-301-311-916 (+52)
10. Toledo - 306-299-318-923 (+59)
11. Minnesota - 306-307-315-928 (+64)
12. Seton Hall - 309-314-317-940 (+76)
Final Individual Results
1. Pilar Echeverria, Indianapolis - 69-72-74-215 (-1)
2. Virunpat Olankitkunchai, Maryland - 72-73-71-216 (E)
3. Bing Singhsumalee, Illinois - 72-70-76-218 (+2)
T4. Sydney Naro, Michigan State - 67-77-75-219 (+3)
T4. Pimnipa Panthong, Kent State - 72-73-74-219 (+3)
T6. Lauren Peter, Ohio State - 71-77-72-220 (+4)
T6. Yurika Tanida, Michigan State - 76-73-71-220 (+4)
8. Karoline Stormo, Kent State - 75-71-75-221 (+5)
T9. Ashley Lau, Michigan - 74-72-76-222 (+6)
T9. Ashleigh Greenham, Rutgers - 77-72-73-222 (+6)
T9. Michaela Finn, Kent State - 75-76-71-222 (+6)
Nebraska Individuals
12. Kate Smith - 74-74-75-223 (+7)
T29. Kirsten Baete - 79-76-74-229 (+13)
T29. Haley Thiele - 76-77-76-229 (+13)
T49. Megan Whittaker - 75-77-83-235 (+19)
T60. Hannah Thiele - 80-80-79-239 (+23)
72. Noor Ahmed - 85-85-76-246 (+30)