Ahlers turns in day two 77; Bulldogs place second
LINCOLN, Neb. – Thanks to the brilliant play of sophomore Amy Ahlers, the Concordia University women’s golf team cut three strokes off its score from the previous round and held off Peru State College for a second-place finish at the Nebraska Wesleyan Spring Invite. The two-day tournament took place on Wednesday (Mahoney Golf Course) and Thursday (Pioneers Golf Course) in Lincoln, Neb.
Head coach Brett Muller’s squad carded a two-day total of 343-340–683 to finish above eight of its nine competitors (including all five GPAC teams) at the meet. Individually, Ahlers (82-77–159) placed third in her attempt to defend her 2014 Nebraska Wesleyan title. She finished six strokes off the leader.
“I’m very pleased with our performance for the first tournament of the semester,” Muller said. “Amy turned in her best performance of her collegiate career. We had three players in the top 10 and the 340 is our second lowest of the team score. We did a nice job expanding our lead on Peru State for second place.”
Teammates in freshman Emma Jacoby (82-85–167) and sophomore Kayla Krueger (83-84–167) also claimed top-10 finishes, tying for eighth among the field of 74 individuals. The varsity lineup was rounded out by freshmen Ashlen Pospisil (96-94–190; 38th) and Brenna Gnuse (97-98–195; T-45th).
Ahlers, currently the GPAC co-leader following the fall season, tied her career 77 that she also recorded this past fall at the Briar Cliff Classic. On Thursday Ahlers locked up her eighth career top-five tournament finish out of 16 events played since the start of her freshman season in the fall of 2013.
“She got off to a better start (on Thursday),” Muller said. “She birdied her first hole and parred her second hole. She made the turn at 38 and on her last hole got stuck behind a tree and had to punch out for bogey. She played pretty solid all the way around.”
Jacoby and Krueger have emerged as the clear Nos. 2 and 3 players in the lineup. Jacoby has already piled up five top-10 tournament claims in her first collegiate season. Despite not hitting the ball off the tee as well as she did the previous day, the Lincoln native recovered and shot a 41 over her final nine holes. Meanwhile, Krueger put up a consistent 42-42 on the day.
Muller also took two individual competitors to the Nebraska Wesleyan Invite. Freshman Lauren Sperry (102-111–213) placed 56th and senior Jenelle Hallaert (111-125–236) placed 60th.
Iowa Western Community College ran away with the team title by shooting a 312 on day 2. The Reivers had three players card scores in the 70s on Thursday.
Up next is the Doane Spring Invite at Wilderness Ridge Golf Course on April 9. The meet will provide a preview for GPAC Qualifier No. 3, which will be held April 13 at the same course.
“To beat all GPAC teams (at the Nebraska Wesleyan Invite) was a great step for us as we continue to move forward,” Muller said. “We want to run down Northwestern and finish second in the conference.”
