Golf is a funny game. After the first round of the Bradley Fall Classic, the NIU men’s golf team found itself in fourth place. Just a few short hours later the Huskies had fallen to 10th place after shooting the third-worst score of the second round.

Coming into Tuesday’s final round in Peoria, the Huskies knew they had some work to do. And just as they had done all season, Coach Preanis’ team responded. NIU shot the third-best score of the final round to land in eighth place of 14 teams.

Unlike in past tournaments, the Huskies used a balanced attack to lead their third-round charge.

Scott Alwes finished as the Huskies’ leading scorer, carding the best third-round total on the team. Like the rest of the Huskies, Alwes struggled in the second round but rebounded with a third round score of 73.

Just one stroke behind Awles, sophomore Jeff Brue finished the tournament at 232. Like Alwes, Brue did his best work in the last round, carding a 75.

After a first-round score of 71, the usually consistent Joe True struggled to the finish, firing back-to-back rounds of 80 and 85. True’s 236 marked his worst finish of the fall.

Marques Morel and captain Eric Smith shot identical rounds in Peoria. Though their scores were the same, the way they got there could not have been more different. Morel shot a consistent 80-78-79 while Smith carded a 74-87-76 score.

The Huskies will next see action on March 2nd when they travel to Estero, Fla. for the Gulf Coast Eagle Invitational.