MONTEREY, Calif. - Buoyed by a career-low 75 from freshman Danielle Brooks (Red Wing, Minn.), the Drake women's golf team earned a ninth-place showing (342-320-323=985) at the Monterey Bay Invitational hosted by the Del Monte Golf Club on Tuesday (March 20).

"I was encouraged by our ability to continue to make improvements throughout our 54 holes," Bulldog head coach Leanne Smith commented.  "We're really close to breaking through.  I saw considerable improvement with our short game and ball placement, so it is now about putting things together and closing the holes in our games."

Brooks' final round helped her best junior Chelsey Falk (Glenwood, Minn.) and sophomore Cristina Bowery (Carmel, Calif.) by one and two strokes, respectively, to tie for a 29th-place finish with a 242 tournament total.

On pace to match Brooks' round, Falk was unable to convert opportunities down the stretch and entered the clubhouse with a final-round 81.  She finished the tournament tied for 32nd with a 243.

In her first collegiate tournament, Bowery lowered her score every round, including a 80 on Tuesday (March 20), en route to concluding the event with a 244, to tie for 34th.

"Danielle (Brooks) really gave it her all today and her progress at this tournament will be a real confidence boost," said Smith.  "We also got productive rounds from Chelsea (Falk) and Cristina (Bowery)."

Both sophomore Hadley Jennings (Trenton, Mo.) and senior Paige Menze (Oxbow, N.D.) registered scores of 87 over their final 18 holes.  Jennings ended her tournament shooting 259 (T-59th), while Menze posted a 267 (T-67th).

Senior Christy Wittmer (Hampton, Iowa), turned in a final-round 83, but competing as an individual she was unable to contribute to Drake's team score.  She finished with a 54-hole mark of 269 to tie for 71st-place.

Drake is next in action at the Bradley Spring Invitational (April 6-7) in Peoria, Ill.

DRAKE INDIVIDUAL RESULTS: Danielle Brooks 242 (86-81-75=242/T-29th), Chelsey Falk 243 (86-76-81=243/T-32nd), Cristina Bowery 244 (83-81-80=244/T-34th), Hadley Jennings 256 (87-82-87=256/T-59th), Paige Menze 267 (92-88-87=267/T-69th) and Christy Wittmer 269 (93-93-83=269/T-71st)

MONTEREY BAY INVITATIONAL

MARCH 20, 2012 • 54 HOLES

DEL MONTE GOLF CLUB (MONTEREY, CALIF.)

1) Wichita State 927 (326-302-299=927)

2) Columbia 930 (321-309-300=930)

3) Missouri State 931 (303-307-321=931)

4) Central Arkansas 945 (325-314-306=945)

Winthrop 945 (315-315-315=945)

6) Cal Poly 946 (326-318-302=946)

Houston Baptist 946 (317-316-313=946)

8) Illinois State 948 (319-316-313=948)

9) Drake 985 (342-320-323=985)

10) Stephen F. Austin 999 (329-332-338=999)

11) Nebraska-Omaha 1,004 (347-340-317=1,004)

12) CSU Bakersfield 1,032 (353-336-343=1,032)

13) Creighton 1,045 (353-345-347=1,045)

14) St. Francis (NY) 1,169 (390-408-371=1,169)