Southern Illinois University
Saluki Invitational
SIU finishes the Saluki Invitational in third place
03/28/2016 | 12:00:00 | Women's Golf
By Elizabeth Robinson
SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. – The Saluki women's golf team finished the 22nd Annual Saluki Invitational in third place, coming in with a 613 team score. SIU finished the tournament shooting 23 strokes better than last year's finish. SIU's B team followed in fifth place with a final score of 628.
The tournament concluded with a one-hole playoff between William Woods University and IUPUI who finished the second round tied for first at 610 apiece. The IUPUI Jaguars won the playoff after two holes, finishing as the Saluki Invitational champions. This marks the first time since 2010 a team other than the Salukis has won the Saluki Invitational.
"I knew at the turn we were down and would have to count a score in the 80s. Once you have to count a score 80 and above you're out. It's just how golf works. It's extremely hard to win a golf tournament, but next year I'll just have to start a new streak," SIU head coach Alexis Mihelich said.
For the second straight year, senior Mattie Lindner finished with the Salukis' best score, tying for seventh place overall at 150. Lindner shot 75 on both the first and second rounds of play.
Sophomore Jackie Biggs had a standout performance at the tournament as the Salukis' second-best finisher and the top finisher for SIU's B squad. Biggs shot a 76 in each round, totaling 152 overall to tie for ninth place. In only the third tournament in her career – all of which were home tournaments – Biggs' score tops her previous 36-hole personal best by 12 strokes. She also finished the tournament with the most birdies for SIU, tallying five overall.
"I'm really happy with how all of the girls played, especially on the B team. Especially with Jackie walking on the team and being able to compete with everyone, I think it sends a message and a statement to the scholarship players," Mihelich said.
Junior Xianmei Jin also tied for ninth place, concluding the tournament as SIU's second-best finisher on the A team. Like Biggs, Jin posted two rounds of 76 for an overall 152 score. This is Jin's first tournament since the South Alabama Invitational in February.
"I decided to put Xianmei in the lineup this week because she's so consistent, and today she did just that and shot mid-70s the whole time. She really kept us in it in the third spot," Mihelich said.
With today's third place finish, the Salukis have finished in the top five in six of the team's nine tournaments this season. SIU only has one tournament left – the Murray State Racer Classic – before competing in the Missouri Valley Conference Championship meet. Last year the Salukis finished the MVC Championship in third place.
"I've won all the Saluki Invitationals, but haven't won the conference championship. That's kind of the one we've fallen short on. I think our team will have more accountability going forward and know that every shot really matters," Mihelich said. "Maybe this is the year we finish third here and first there, and it'll just flip flop."
SIU A Team Individual Results
T7. Mattie Lindner – 75-75 (15)
T9. Xianmei Jin – 76-76 (152)
T12. Brooke Cusumano – 75-78 (153)
T18. Sun Young Jung – 77-82 (159)
T29. Hanna Netisingha -79-81 (160)
SIU B Team Individual Results
T9. Jackie Biggs – 76-76 (152)
T16. Morgan Reimler – 74-81 (155)
T25. Alice Ho – 75-84 (159)
T40. Kristie Yang – 81-81 (162)
89. Savannah Myers – 94-100 (194)
Team Scores
1. IUPUI – 307-303 (610)
2. William Woods – 304-306 (610)
3. Southern Illinois (A) – 303-310 (613)
4. Austin Peay State – 304-311 (615)
5. Southern Illinois (B) – 306-322 (628)
6. South Dakota – 317-313 (630)
7. Lindenwood – 319-312 (631)
8. SIU Edwardsville – 319-319 (638)
9. Nebraska–Omaha – 323-317 (640)
10. IPFW – 317-332 (649)
11. Chicago State – 331-319 (650)
12. Tennessee State – 340-352 (695)
13. Eastern Illinois – 343-352 (695)
14. Rend Lake – 360-346 (706)
15. John A. Logan – 357-359 (716)
Players Mentioned
