Sept. 29, 1998

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Notre Dame women’s golf team slipped one spot in Sunday’s final-round action of the Lady Northern Intercollegiate, as the University of Michigan edged the Irish by one stroke over the 54-hole tournament at the challenging par-72, 5,996-yard Kampen Golf Course.

Senior captain Andrea Klee (Appleton, Wis.) rallied with a final-round 79 to post a team-best total of 246, tying for 27th in the 88-player field after firing Saturday rounds of 83 and 84.

Sophomore Mary Klein (Kokomo, Ind.) entered the final day with a share of ninth place, after rounds of 79 and 81, but stumbled on the last day with a 91 to finish in a tie for 42nd at 251.

Notre Dame failed to improve on its 10th-place position after Saturday’s two rounds (337-332), totaling a 335 in the final play-six/count-four round to finish 11th out of 14 teams at 1,003. Michigan used a final-round 327 to edge the Irish by a stroke.

Other Notre Dame third-round scores included 87s from newcomers Shane Smith), a sophomore transfer from SMU, and freshman Kristin McMurtrie, with both players finishing tied for 55th with 258 totals. heading into the final round. Junior Brigid Fisher (90-86-85) and sophomore Becca Schloss (96-92-84) rounded out the Notre Dame six-player contingent.

Michigan State and Indiana rallied to finish in the top two spots, with the Spartans using a final-round 306 for a 947 total. Indiana, the nation’s #6-ranked team, turned in a 308 in the final round but finished four shots behind MSU at 951.

Indiana’s Erin Carney fired a final-round 70 to vault into first place with a 225 total, outdistancing Purdue’s Stacey Orschell by five shots.

The Notre Dame next are in action at the 14-team Wolverine Invitational, to be held Oct. 3-4 at the par-73, 5,693-yard University of Michigan Golf Course.

FINAL TEAM STANDINGS (54 holes): 1. Michigan State 322-319-306/947; 2. Indiana 318-325-308/951; 3. Northwestern 311-330-315/956; 4. Purdue 329-312-316/957; 5. Ohio State 315-321-322/958; 6. Penn State 321-315-326/964; 7. Wisconsin 322-329-323/974; 8. Minnesota 333-326-319/978; 9. Iowa 337-328-317/982; 10. Michigan 324-352-327/1003; 11. Notre Dame 337-332-335/1004; 12. Northern Illinois 350-356-338/1044; 13. Illinois 358-352-344/1054; 14. Butler 456-452-434/1342.

TOP INDIVIDUALS (of 87): 1. Erin Carney (IU) 77-78-70/225; 2. Stacey Orschell (PUR) 77-77-76/230; 3. Christie Hermes (NW) 73-79-79/231; 4. Kasey Gant (MSU) 78-76-80/234; Natalie Mosher (OSU) 76-81-77/234; 6. Allie Bloomquist (WIS) 75-82-78/235; Emily Gilley (NW) 79-81-75/235; 8. Kellie Dennis (MSU) 82-84-70/236; 9. Laura Hammond (PSU) 76-79-82/237; Emily Bastel (MSU) 82-79-76/237.

NOTRE DAME SCORES: 27. Andrea Klee 83-84-79/246; 42. Mary Klein 79-81-91/251; 55. Shane Smith 85-86-87/258; 55. Kristin McMurtrie 90-81-87/258; 59. Brigid Fisher 90-86-85/261; 75. Becca Schloss 96-94-84/274.