If momentum counts, then it’s no wonder coach Pam Tyska feels as if her NIU women’s golf team picked up a victory by the end of Sunday’s final round of the Western Kentucky University Lady Hilltopper Invitational.

Granted the Huskies finished only fourth in the eight-team field, but the Huskies matched runner-up Southern Illinois University for the best team total over the final 18 holes of play in the two-day, 36-hole tournament. While Michigan State University put together a 627 for first and the Salukis followed at 634 with Purdue University holding third at 641, NIU climbed from a three-way tie for sixth to sole possession of fourth.

NIU achieved that rise by scoring a 310 in its final round—23 strokes better than their Saturday effort that could also be viewed as a tie for last place.

“We certainly got off to a bad start, but even though we dug ourselves a hole, we climbed out of it. We came back with a solid 310 and I think we needed a good round like that as a team in order to gain some confidence. Hopefully, this is the type of round we can build on,” Tyska said.

Individually, Nicole Jeray led the Huskies resurgence as she shared third-place on the leadership board with a 153. After scoring an 80 on the par 72 Hartland Golf Course, the NIU ace came back with nine-hole tours of 36 and 37 for a 73. Michigan State’s Gina Yoder was the medalist at 151 with Vanderbilt’s Tina Jovanovich slipping in for second at 152.

Next in line for the Huskies was Kim Hodge with a final round 79 for a 162 two-day total. Shelly Wendelis closed with a 78 for a 165 while Samantha Thompson and Karen Bromberg finished with scorecards of 168 and 174, respectively.

NIU journeys to Bloomington, Ind., for its next competition, the Saturday/Sunday, 54-hole Indiana University Women’s Invitational.