CARMEL, Ind. – The University of Indianapolis women's golf team opened its 2019-20 campaign in dramatic fashion this week, topping a talented field at the UIndy Invitational at Prairie View Golf Club in Carmel, Ind. The Greyhounds (296-294-293) overcame a nine-stroke deficit in Tuesday's third and final round to capture the team title.
The 15-team field featured some the top programs in Division II, including seven NCAA Championship participants from last spring. Saint Leo led the way at +5 after Monday's 36 holes, but the Hounds hung the lowest team score of the day Tuesday, leapfrogging both Findlay and Saint Leo to win the event by six strokes.
UIndy's surge was spearheaded by a pair of all-tournament performances. Senior
Pilar Echeverria and freshman
Hunter Nugent shared the runner-up spot at +1. Echeverria, the reigning DII Player of the Year, posted back-to-back 72s to close the tournament, while Nugent fired a four-under 32 on the back nine Tuesday to card a final-round 69 at her first collegiate event.
Junior
Anna Kramer also had a strong showing, posting scores of 73-72-75 to finish at +4 and take 11th place among the 80 golfers. Sophomore
Cailyn Henderson (76-76-77) tied for 23rd, while freshman
Catharina Graf (79-87-85) rounded out the lineup in 71st.
In addition, two Hounds took the course as individual competitors. Freshman
Katelyn Skinner (78-78-75) began her college career by sharing 28th place, while sophomore
Daniela Gomez (73-80-85) finished 47th.
OTHER NOTES
The individual medal was won by Lynn University's Helen Kreuzer. She set a new tournament record with a 72-hole score of -9, thanks in part to a second-round 65, which broke the women's competitive course record … Saint Leo's Francesa Santonmi shot a hole-in-one in the second round on the 120-yard, par-three 12th hole.
UP NEXT
The road doesn't get any easier for the Hounds, as they travel to the University of Kentucky's Bettie Lou Evans Invitational later this month. The Division I-heavy event is set for Sept. 27-29 in Lexington, Ky.
