Men’s golf didn’t capitalize on a strong second round this weekend as it finished tied for 12th at the Boilermaker Invitational in West Lafayette, Ind.

The Huskies put up a card of 904 (305, 296, 303), having their best round come Saturday. In the second round, the Huskies finished with a 296, only eight strokes over par. It was their best round score of the season.

Head coach Tom Porten said the team’s improvements over last weekend’s Hawkeye-Great River Entertainment Invitational put a good mark on the end of the regular season.

“It was the last regular season match,” Porten said. “You’re always hoping to play well in that, especially as a stepping stone to the MAC Championships.”

Iowa finished the invitational in first place with a card of 865 (300, 291, 274). Illinois was right behind Iowa with a three-round score of 866 (291, 290, 285). UCLA rounded out the top three with 871 (297, 291, 283).

Jake Curwin led the Huskies, finishing with a card of 220 (76, 70, 74), which put him at only four over par. Curwin had a strong second round, finishing at two under par. He finished the match tied for 16th, which is his highest finish of his NIU career.

Junior Liam White followed closely behind Curwin, with a three-round score of 220 (76, 70, 74). White finished tied for 22nd.

“It’s nice to see Jake and Liam do well,” Porten said. “It’s going to build confidence. We’re all starting to play well as a team. This is the best team performance of the season.”

With the regular season behind them, the Huskies are gearing up for the MAC Championships, which start May 2 in Carmel, Ind. At the Boilermaker Invitational, they finished ahead of Toledo and tied with Miami (Ohio). Kent State was the top placing MAC team, landing in eighth.

“I liked how we competed here,” Porten said. “Any time you can beat a conference opponent, it does a lot for your confidence. We’re a week and a half away [from the MAC Championships]. I think, based on this, we can finish well at the MAC Championships.

“We faced a strong field. Anytime you can play against a top-ranked field like this, you gain some valuable experience.”