RIO VERDE, Ariz. ? Senior Whitney Cox (Edmonton, Alberta/Harry Ainlay) turned in the low round of the day for the Braves with a final round 79, but the Bradley women's golf team slipped into a tie for 15th place Sunday at the Rio Verde Invitational at the par-72 Quail Run Golf Course at the Rio Verde Country Club.
The Braves entered the day in 13th place after the first two rounds of play and shot a final round 328 to finish in a tie with Missouri Valley Conference rival Southern Illinois for 15th at 945. Notre Dame took the team title with an 11-over par total of 875 after shooting the low round of the day with a three-over par 291 Sunday.
Freshman Breanne Neufeld (Coaldale, Alberta/Coaldale) was Bradley's top finisher, finishing in a tie for 38th at 233 after turning in a final round 83. Cox finished two shots behind Neufeld in a tie for 47th place after carding the low round of the day for the Braves with a final round 79 to finish at 235. Junior Bari Erais (Lethbridge, Alberta/Lethbridge Collegiate Institute) was 75th overall at 241 after shooting a third-round 87, while senior Rikki Sobel (Deerfield, Ill./Deerfield) shot a final round 82 to finish 80th at 244.
Freshman Caitlin Deeken (California, Mo./California) rounded out the team scoring for Bradley with a final round 84 as she finished one shot behind Sobel in a tie for 81st at 245. Junior Lauren Downing (Rockton, Ill./Hononeagh) tied for 105th overall at 274 after a final round 94.
Notre Dame had three of the top six golfers and finished 18 shots ahead of Texas Tech to take the team title with a three-round total of 875. Texas Tech followed in second at 893, edging third-place Minnesota by one shot (894). Arkansas-Little Rock was fourth overall at 908, finishing one shot ahead of fifth-place Eastern Michigan at 909.
Tournament host Western Michigan and Northern Arizona tied for sixth place 916 and Wisconsin was eighth overall 917. Ball State and Illinois State tied for ninth at 918 to round out the top 10. Missouri State finished 11th at 924, while Toledo was 12th at 926. Cincinnati was 12 shots behind the Rockets in 13th place at 938 and Bowling Green took 14th at 941.
Bradley and Southern Illinois tied for 15th at 945, finishing four shots behind Bowling Green. The Braves were eight shots better than 17th-place Xavier (953), while Ohio rounded out the field in 18th place at 981.
The Braves return to action March 17-18 at the Samford Invitational in Birmingham, Ala.
