Although the NIU men’s golf team got off to a slow start, the Huskies did move up, and that’s what pleased veteran coach Jack Pheanis.

While NIU was sitting 14th among 16 schools following the opening 18 holes of play, when Friday and Saturday’s Murray State University-McDonald’s Intercollegiate was over after 45 holes, NIU climbed six spots to finish eighth.

The University of Louisville, one of 12 teams competing in NIU’s Sixth Annual Sharp’s Midwestern Invitational this Friday and Saturday at the Oak Club of Genoa, won the MSU tourney crown with a 735.

That tally was eight strokes better than runner-up University of Southern Mississippi, with Murray State rounding out the top three with a 745.

NIU’s total was 755, three strokes behind seventh-place finisher Morehead State University and a stroke ahead of ninth-place entry University of Arkansas-Little Rock.

One bright spot for the Huskie contingent was the consistent start to finish play of Mark Voeller, who finished tied for fourth among the 80 individual golfers. Southern Mississippi’s Voyed Couey claimed medalist honors with a 45-hole composite 176.

Voeller posted a 74 in his opening 18-hole tour, improved to 70 on his second trip and played even-par 36 on the back nine of the par-71, 6,592-yard MSU Miller Memorial Golf Course.

Next in line for NIU was Derek Shoenhoven, who tied for 31st with a 190, while teammate Niclas Jenglov shared the 36th position with his 191. Rounding out the NIU contingent were Jason Samuelian, who had a 194 after a frustrating opening 18 holes, and John Larson, who carded a 197.