OLD HICKORY, Tennessee - The Marian College women's golf team inched closer to a berth at the NAIA National Tournament over the weekend as the Knights picked up a runner-up finish in the NAIA Unaffiliated Tournament at Old Hickory Golf Course.

 

The Knights finished with a 36-hole total of 670, which was 49 strokes behind champion Bethel College. The Knights did get the best of top 20-ranked University of Mobile as they defeated UM by 21 strokes.

 

Junior Angela Gauck (Greensburg, Indiana/North Decatur) picked up another runner-up finish behind Bethel's Shanna Page as she carded a 150 (76-74). Page shot a 69 on day two and that was nearly the margin of victory as she won by six strokes.

 

Sophomore Alyssa Simpson (Crawfordsville, Indiana/North Putnam) finished tied for eighth after she carded a 167 (81-86). "Alyssa did a great job this weekend," said head coach Brett Cope. "I was really proud of her performance."

 

Sophomore Lauren Nickoson (Cleves, Ohio/Taylor HS) carded a 176 (91-85) to pick up a tie for 17th place. Juniors Ashley Reed (North Vernon, Indiana/Jennings County) and Kristen Welker (Kokomo, Indiana/Western) each carded a 178 (90-88) to finished in a tie for 20th place.

 

The Knights will now wait to see if they earn an at-large berth as a team at the 2009 NAIA National Tournament. Gauck earned an automatic bid as an individual after her performance at last year's tournament.