The IU women's golf team stayed in the thick of contention until the end at the Big Ten tournament before ultimately coming up short.
IU finished tied for second, its best finish at the event since 2004.
Ohio State won the tournament by shooting one-under par, three strokes clear of IU and Illinois.
Once again, weather was an issue over the weekend. After a cold and windy first round Friday, the second round Saturday was canceled, making Sunday the second and final round of the tournament.
Senior Kari Bellville got off to a hot start in round one, where she shot one-under par in tough conditions. Her 71 put her atop the individual leaderboard after round one.
“My short game really saved me,” Bellville said afterward. “My mindset was to stay present and focused on each shot. I tried to never get ahead of myself.”
However, Bellville struggled in round two, shooting a four-over par 76. That left her in a tie for 21st.
In the second round, it was Mary Parsons who followed Bellville’s lead in round one. She fired a 66, tying for the best score of the day. Her late run earned herself a four-under overall.
For senior Erin Harper, it was her strong par-four play that led to her third-place finish. She led the field by shooting four-under par on par-four holes at the tournament.
IU’s high finish continues the team’s impressive recent stretch. Now, it will wait to hear whether it makes the NCAA tournament.
The NCAA will announce the selected teams Wednesday.
