Michaela Vavrova and Miu Takahashi produced top-30 individual finishes to lead the Nebraska women's golf team to a tie for sixth in a loaded 15-team with an NCAA Regional feel at the Mary Fossum Invitational in East Lansing, Mich., on Monday.
Nebraska's tie for sixth came in a field that featured nine 2023 NCAA Regional teams along with 2023 conference runner-ups Northern Illinois (MAC) and Oakland (Horizon), along with Grand Valley State, which finished 11th at the 2023 NCAA Division II Championships.
"We saw some good things this week, and it was good to get some wins over really quality teams that were in regionals last year," Nebraska Head Coach Jeanne Sutherland said. "We also saw a lot of things that we can work on in order to improve moving forward. We have a few weeks off now to get ready for our next tournament, but it has been a good start to our season so far."
Vavrova closed out the tournament in 28th after a final-round 74 (+2). The senior from Bojnice, Slovakia, ended with a 54-hole score of 223 (+7) as NU's top finisher for the second straight tournament to open the season.
Miu Takahashi added a top-30 finish by tying for 29th at 224 (+8) that included a final-round 76 (+4) on Monday. The junior from Nasu-machi, Japan, produced Nebraska's only round better than par during the tournament with a second-round 71 (-1) on the challenging, 6,370-yard, par-72 layout at Michigan State's Forest Akers West Golf Course Sunday.
Husker sophomore Kelli Ann Strand (Challis, Idaho) matched Takahashi with a 76 (+4) on Monday to finish in a tie for 32nd at 225 (+9) over three rounds.
True freshman Arden Louchheim (Park City, Utah) matched Vavrova for Nebraska's best individual round on Monday with a 74 (+2) to provide her second score of the weekend in the five-count-four scoring format for the Huskers. The three-time Utah high school champion opened the tournament with a first-round 73 on Sunday. She finished in a tie for 65th at 233 (+17) in an 84-player field.
Lena Hassert, who entered Monday's final round in a tie for 13th at 146 after back-to-back rounds of 73 on Sunday, battled her way to an 83 to finish in a tie for 49th at 229 (+13).
Purdue took home the team title by producing the best final-round score with a 284 (-4). The Boilermakers finished with a three-round total of 858 (-6) to knock off the hosts from Michigan State. The Spartans, who entered the final round with an eight-stroke lead over Purdue, finished 10 shots behind the Boilermakers at 868 (+4) after MSU settled for a 302 (+14) on Monday.
Ohio State took third at 879 (+15), while Maryland finished fourth at 881 (+17). Tennessee (884) rounded out the five teams ahead of the Huskers, while Kent State and Virginia Tech tied Nebraska for sixth at 888 (+24).
Nebraska finished two shots ahead of North Carolina (890), 11 shots ahead of Michigan (899) and 15 strokes ahead of Notre Dame (903).
Michigan State's Katie Lu captured medalist honors with a 54-hole score of 213 (-3) that included a final-round 74. She held off Purdue's Ashley Kozlowski, who fired a final-round 70, by one stroke at 214.
Nebraska returns to action at the Dale McNamara Invitational in Broken Arrow, Okla., Oct. 9-10.
Mary Fossum Invitational
Sept. 17-18, 2023
Forest Akers West GC (East Lansing, Mich.)
Par 72, 6,370 Yards
Final Team Results
1. Purdue - 290-284-284=858 (-6)
2. Michigan State - 285-281-302=868 (+4)
3. Ohio State - 292-289-298=879 (+15)
4. Maryland - 299-293-289=881 (+17)
5. Tennessee - 293-292-299=884 (+20)
T6. Nebraska - 290-298-300=888 (+24)
T6. Virginia Tech - 295-294-299=888 (+24)
T6. Kent State - 294-304-290=888 (+24)
9. North Carolina - 299-301-290=890 (+26)
10. Michigan - 292-306-301=899 (+35)
11. Notre Dame - 301-301-301=903 (+39)
12. Northern Illinois - 297-317-302=916 (+52)
13. Toledo - 305-313-312=930 (+66)
14. Grand Valley State - 311-316-314=941 (+77)
15. Oakland - 310-321-312=943 (+79)
Final Individual Results
1. Katie Lu, Michigan State - 70-69-74=213 (-3)
2. Ashley Kozlowski, Purdue - 73-71-70=214 (-2)
3. Leila Raines, Michigan State - 73-69-73=215 (-1)
T4. Vanessa Gilly, Tennessee - 72-72-72=216 (E)
T4. Kan Bunnabodee, Purdue - 72-71-73=216 (E)
T4. Kary Hollenbaugh, Ohio State - 71-72-73=216 (E)
T7. Leon Takagi, Kent State - 73-75-69=217 (+1)
T7. Jocelyn Bruch, Purdue - 76-70-71=217 (+1)
T9. Nicha Kanpai, Maryland - 76-72-70=218 (+2)
T9. Caley McGinty, Ohio State - 76-71-71=218 (+2)
T9. Hester Sicking, Kent State - 73-73-72=218 (+2)
T9. Manassanan Chotikabhukkana, Tennessee - 72-73-73=218 (+2)
T9. Hailey Borja, Michigan - 69-76-73=218 (+2)
Nebraska Individuals
28. Michaela Vavrova - 72-77-74=223 (+7)
T29. Miu Takahashi - 77-71-76=224 (+8)
T32. Kelli Ann Strand - 72-77-76=225 (+9)
T49. Lena Hassert - 73-73-83=229 (+13)
T65. Arden Louchheim - 73-86-74=233 (+17)