Sept. 13, 2009

EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Indiana women's golf team opened the 2009-10 season with a third-place finish at the Mary Fossum Invitational at the Forest Akers West Golf Course in East Lansing, Mich.

The Hoosiers finished with a three-round total of 892 (294-293-305). Michigan State took the team title (289-293-293=875), followed by Purdue (291-288-299=878), Indiana, Northwestern (297-294-309=900) and James Madison (304-298-305=907).

"We didn't' play was well as we wanted, but we did a lot of good things to come back after a rugged start," said head coach Clint Wallman. "I think this was a good learning experience for everyone."

Senior Kellye Belcher was the top finisher, placing tied for fifth with a 218 (73-69-76). Belcher opened the day with three straight bogeys, but got back into a rhythm with pars on the next 10 holes. Her first birdie of the day came on 14, and she added another par at 15 to stay at +2. After a par on 16, she finished the round with back-to-back bogeys on 17 and 18 for a 4-over 76.

Senior Laura Nochta led the way in the final round with a 1-over 73 and finished the tournament tied for 10th with a 220 (70-77-73). Nochta started the day off right with a birdie on hole two but moved to 1-over with back-to-back bogeys on five and six. Her next nine holes were steady, with birdies on 12 and 13 to move back under par at -1. Five shots on the par-4 16 moved her back to even, and she fell to +1 with a bogey on 18. The day ended with a par on hole one.

Freshman Pamela Burneski finished tied for 16th in her first collegiate tournament with a three-round score of 226 (73-73-80). After a solid opening day, Burneski opened with a double bogey on hole one and would bogey five of the next eight holes. Sitting at +7, Burneski fought back with a birdie on 10, and posted a three on the par-4 15. She ended the day with bogeys on the final three holes.

Senior Anita Gahir tied for 26th with a final score of 229 (78-74-77). Gahir also opened the day with a double bogey on the par-5 second hole. A bogey on four was followed by a birdie on seven, but bogeys on eight and 11 put her back at +4 for the round. She birdied hole 14 and posted three straight pars before a bogey on 18. She finished the round with a bogey on one for a 5-over 77.

Freshman Jacqueline Yanch tied for 63rd with a score of 241 (79-78-84). Yanch's round was interrupted with double bogeys on the eighth, 11th and 18th holes. She pared nine of the 18 but bogeyed for others to sit at +10 with one hole remaining. She closed the round with a bogey on hole two for a 12-over 84.

"Pamela and Jacqueline both did wonderfully for their first collegiate tournament," Wallman said. "They came out of this weekend confident that they can compete at this level and I think that confidence will carry into next weekend."

Indiana is back in action next weekend as it travels to New Mexico for the Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Invitational.