PEORIA, Ill. -- The Bradley women's golf team will have a chance to play against four other Missouri Valley Conference teams in BU's final tournament before the MVC Championship later this month when the Braves take part in the Indiana Invitational Saturday and Sunday in Bloomington, Ind.
Bradley is playing in the Indiana Invitational for the third consecutive year, but weather has shortened the event each of the last two seasons. The Braves tied for sixth in last spring's tournament at the par-72 Indiana University Golf Course and look to finish the season on a strong note heading into the Valley Championship April 21-23 after winning the Bradley Invitational last weekend.
Saturday's action is scheduled to begin at 7:30 a.m. (CDT) with a shotgun start and feature two rounds of play. Sunday's final round will also feature a 7:30 a.m. (CDT) shotgun start.
The Braves won their only home tournament of the year last weekend, finishing ahead of Missouri Valley Conference foes Indiana State and Northern Iowa for the team's first tournament title since October 2010.
This weekend's tournament will feature four other Valley foes, with Drake, Evansville, Illinois State and Southern Illinois joining BU in the 13-team field. Tournament-host Indiana is ranked 56th according to Golfweek.com and is one of three top 100 participants in the Indiana Invitational. Kansas (67th) and Eastern Michigan (98th) help make up a strong contingent of teams, which also includes Akron, Ball State, Dayton, Toledo and Valparaiso.
Freshman Danielle Lemek (Doniphan, Neb./Doniphan-Trumbull) won medalist honors at the Bradley Invitational for her third individual tournament title of the season and is closing in on the Bradley season record for rounds in the 70's. Lemek, who has carded 24 of her 25 rounds this year in the 70's, needs three sub-80 rounds to tie Kelly Amundrud's school record of 27 rounds in the 70's set in 2010-11. Lemek leads the Missouri Valley Conference with a 74.8 season stroke average.
Fellow freshman Jenna Roadley (Winnipeg, Manitoba/Sturgeon Heights) is coming off her second top-20 finish of the year and has averaged 80.0 per round over her last six rounds after tying for 12th at the Bradley Invitational. Sophomore Christie Lin (Calgary, Alberta/Sir John G Diefenbaker) tied for 16th at last year's Indiana Invitational with a five-over 77 and owns a 78.6 average over her last 10 rounds.
Freshman Allison Walsh (Mt. Prospect, Ill./Mt. Prospect) has emerged as one of the team's top players, posting a 79.8 average during the spring and has averaged 79.2 per round in the last two outings. Sophomore Thea Hedemann (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan/Walter Murray) is expected to return to the lineup after having to withdraw after the opening round of last week's Bradley Invitational. Hedemann shot a 78 at last year's Indiana Invite and is second on the squad with a 78.4 season average.
