CARBONDALE, ILL. -- With two golfers finishing among the top three place winners, the Drake women's golf team captured the Saluki Invitational Monday with a 313-317=630.

The Bulldogs won by four strokes over runner-up Ball State (321-313=634) in the 15-team tournament held at the Hickory Ridge Golf Course.

It marked the third tournament title in the brief three-year history of the Drake women's golf program.

Junior Olivia Lansing (Dellwood, Minn.) led Drake by finishing runner-up in the individual race with a 77-76=153, just one stroke behind medalist Kate Laegeler of Southern Illinois, who carded a 74-78=152.

Drake coach Scott Bohlender said the tournament served as a good barometer to see how his team
can fare in the upcoming State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Championships April 17-19 in Panora, Iowa.

"There were six Missouri Valley Conference teams which competed here," said Bohlender. "We're trying to get our consistency down, while using these last two tournament to gain some confidence. I think we're headed in the right direction."

Drake Amanda Vogt (Melbourne, Iowa) tied for third with a 79-76-155. Junior Elena Vukmir (Wauwatosa, Wis. ) tied for 18th with a 78-84=162.

Junior Kelly Godwin (Centerville, Minn.) tied for 22nd at 79-84=163, while sophomore Kaitlyn Mauk  (West Des Moines, Iowa) tied for 44th at 88-81=169.

Sophomore Michelle Mathwick (Greenfield, Wis.) rounded out Drake's scoring by tying for 51st with an 83-89=172.

"We had a couple tough days here," Bohlender added. "We had a two-hour delay to start the tournament on Sunday because of cold weather and then we had frost conditions this morning which delayed things.  So the course was wet and played long for our girls."

The Bulldogs return to action this Sunday, competing in the Hotels at Grand Prairie Collegiate Classic in Peoria, Ill.

"We will see some more MVC teams at the Bradley tournament," said Bohlender. "Hopefully, we will continue to play well and then we will take a week off before hosting the conference tournament."

Saluki Invitational
At Carbondale, Ill.
Final Team Scoring
1 Drake  313 317=630
2 Ball State  321 313=634
3 Bradley University 321 315=636
4 Southern Illinois 322 317=639
5 Murray State  334 309=643
6 Indiana State 333 313=646
7 Austin Peay State 329 329=658
8 Eastern Illinois 330 329=659
9 Creighton 331 330=661
10 Western Illinois  333 334=667
11 Evansville  333 335=668
12 SIU Edwardsville 339 342=681
13 IPFW 357 341=698
14 Rend Lake CC 360 351=711
15 John A. Logan CC 366 352=718

1 Drake University 313-317=630
2 Olivia Lansing 77-76=153
T 3 Amanda Vogt 79-76=155
T 18 Elena Vukmir 78-84=162
T 22 Kelly Godwin 79-84=163
T 44 Kaitlyn Mauk 88-81=169
T 51 Michelle Mathwick 83-89=172