While managing the elements thrown at them Monday and Tuesday, the Braves were able to come away with a seventh place finish of 15 teams in the Missouri Valley Conference Preview Tournament in Burlington, Iowa, trailing Butler by only two strokes.
The 965 team score was uncharacteristic of this team, yet they weren’t the only ones who struggled through the course.
The tournament winners Northern Iowa, finished 75-over-par. Spirit Hollow Golf Course in Burlington is the toughest course the Braves have played on this season.
“This course played long compared to the other courses,” according to sophomore Elyse Emerzian. “Conditions were not great either. It was soaked.”
Despite the poor course conditions, the Braves still played strong as a team. Junior Maddie Hawkins tied for seventh overall, shooting as low as a 5-over-par-77 in the third round. The other four golfers all shot within two strokes of each other, from 245 to 247.
Lone competing Bradley senior Megan Medinger finished tied for 38th, Emerzian and fellow sophomore Sarah Nacos finished tied for 42nd and freshman Mara Flaherty finished tied for 47th.
“We didn’t play as well as we could have. I know we can beat everyone,” Emerzian said.
Emerzian’s goal as a freshman was to travel and compete. She accomplished that by the spring season of her freshman year.
Her next goal was to card a personal best this year. She accomplished that at Illinois State, shooting two over par-71 in the second round.
Now she’s stepping it up.
“I want to be the number one golfer this year,” Emerzian said.
With the majority of the season ahead of her, there is still plenty of time to improve. With a new coach who has the ability to take her to the next level, Emerzian has a bright future.
Her talk was backed up by the team’s play. The Braves beat every MVC team in the first tournament of the season, the Redbird Invitational, at Illinois State on Sept. 8
“Everyone has potential to grow, and so far, everyone has stepped up,” head coach Halley Morrell said.
In her first season as head coach of the women’s golf team, Morrell has inherited a talented bunch. The group that finished third in the MVC Tournament last year lost only two seniors.
“The team’s been great, they’ve bought in to everything,” Morrell said. “I’m proud of how this team has progressed.”
The Braves will take the course after a month’s rest on Oct. 21 when they travel to Central Michigan to compete in the Chippewa Invitational.
