LINCOLN, Neb. – Even in the face of blustery and cool conditions, the Concordia University women’s golf team achieved its lowest round of the 2018-19 season while in action on Thursday afternoon (March 28). The Bulldogs did have the advantage of playing on their home course of Highlands Golf Course in Lincoln, Neb., location of the Concordia Spring Invitational. Concordia (team score of 332) capitalized and placed third out of the 10 teams in the field.
Junior Murphy Sears and freshman Kendra Placke again set the standard for the Bulldogs, who were also spurred by a career best from freshman DJ Bokelman.
“I’m very proud of the girls today,” said head coach Brett Muller. “They had a great approach. It wasn’t the best conditions. It was pretty cold, but they never used that as an excuse. They approached it the right way and really saw some good things out of our team. At the top we were very solid with Murphy and Kendra and DJ shot the lowest score of her career. That was great to see out of her. I’m very proud of our progression this spring.”
Sears (10 pars, one birdie) and Placke (three birdies) both collected tournament plaques for top-10 individual finishes out of the field of 62 individuals. Sears shot her second lowest score of the season while carding a six-over-par 78. Meanwhile, Placke came in just after her teammate with a seven-over-par 79. Together they provide a one-two punch unafraid of the elements.
“The wind was really rough,” Sears said. “I can’t hit through wind like most people can. I had to get a lot of up and downs to score. I’m glad I could do that today.”
Concordia is capable of being a consistent threat within the GPAC when local stars Placke (Seward High School) and Sears (Crete High School) are in the 70s and another competitor such as Bokelman emerges like she did on Thursday. Bockelman’s personal best 84 (+12) placed her in a tie for 15th individually.
“It was a very exciting day for her,” Muller said of Bokelman. “She didn’t get off to the best start today score-wise. She was hitting a lot of good shots, just wasn’t putting well early. She got the putter going late and continued to hit the ball well. I’m very proud of her.”
The Bulldog group of five was rounded out by freshman Britney Jepsen (91; T-36th) and junior Paighton Barbre (99; T-48th). They were part of a team performance that cut two strokes off the previous season low of 334 (first round of the GPAC Championships). Only Morningside (321) and Iowa Western Community College (325) placed above Concordia on Thursday. The Bulldogs defeated five of their six GPAC opponents at the Concordia Invite.
The next event on the schedule is the Kaitlyn Erickson Invitational hosted by Doane on April 11. The tournament is set to take place at Wilderness Ridge Golf Club in Lincoln. In a fast moving spring season, the GPAC championships are now less than a month away.