DeKALB — Women’s golf entered the final round of the EKU Colonel Classic sitting in fifth place on the leaderboard, outside of a trophy finish. After the Huskies shot a team 299 Tuesday, the team vaulted into solo-second at the conclusion of the EKU Colonel Classic.

The Huskies came in one shot ahead of their Mid-American rivals from the University of Akron and 18 shots back of tournament host Eastern Kentucky University, who took home the team title.

NIU opened the tournament Monday with rounds of 294 and 300 keeping the team in the hunt, but playing the role of chasers for the tournament.

“[Monday] there were perfect scoring conditions and we just didn’t score,” Head Coach Kim Kester said. “We scrambled like crazy and did well saving par.” 

Kester’s program saw gains in the individual performances of first year Jasmine Ly, senior Lauren Ingle and sophomore Ahra Ko who all recorded top-20 finishes on the individual leaderboard.

“[Ingle] has been consistent all year,” Kester said. “You know what you’re going to get every time she tees it up.” 

Ly finished in a four-way tie for fifth at four-over par and Ingle followed Ly on the leaderboard at five-over. The individual title went home to EKU junior Ragga Kristinsdottir who shot an impressive seven-under par over the 54 hole event.

This is NIU’s fourth podium finish as a team this season, and the team looks to be peaking in the right moments, and against competition that they will face again soon, like Akron and Western Michigan University who also competed in the EKU Colonel Classic.

“It’s good to be back on the upswing,” Kester said. “This is the time of year you want to start peaking with just one tournament before the MAC Championships.”

The Huskies final regular season tune-up will come April 9 in Normal when the Huskies enter the ISU Redbird Invitational field. Following the team’s play in Normal, the Huskies will take the 6 hour drive east to Stow, Ohio for the MAC Championships starting April 24.