Recording 31 birdies as a team, the Northern Illinois University women’s golf team concluded action this afternoon at the Purdue Boilermaker Spring Classic, led by a top-30 finish from Dakota Tallent (Las Vegas, Nevada/Bishop Gorman).

The Huskies finished ninth in a field that featured 16 teams and was the highest finishing MAC school at the tournament. Action took place at the Ackerman-Allen Golf Course, a par-72, 6,212 yard course.

Tallent led the Huskies for the third time this season and shot a par of 73s in the first two rounds for the Huskies. Tallent carded six birdies in the first two rounds before adding a seventh birdie in the final round as she carded a 79, seven over par.

“We are back in the Midwest and that comes with colder temperatures and gusty winds. The winds really were picking up on the last couple holes today, making conditions tough, but the team responded to the weather challenges incredibly well,” said NIU head coach Kim Kester.

Alexa Ouellet (Toronto, Ontario, Canada/De La Salle College) carded a birdie in the first two rounds and she put together three rounds in the 70s. Caroline Kent (Frisco, Texas/iUniversity Prep) carded par in the first round, the only Huskie to do so, alongside five birdies. Kent carded three birdies in the final two rounds as she shot four over in the final round.

Emma Thorman (Macomb, Ill./Macomb) carded two birdies in the first round, going five over par. Thorman grabbed a pair of birdies in the second round as she carded one over par in the final round with four birdies on the scorecard. Mia Raines (Galena, Ohio/Olentangy Berlin) recorded five birdies in the first two rounds as she went three over on the first day. Raines carded one birdie in the final round of the tournament for the Huskies.

“The message to the team as we head into the Ohio State tournament and MAC Championships, is to give it your all, put good rounds together, and leave everything on the course,” said Kester. “We haven’t had good first round this season until this tournament and it’s fixing the small details as we prepare for the next tournament.”

The Huskies return to action on April 12-13 as they compete at the Ohio State Therese Hession Invite.