<uise Buckler ’11 posted a final round 13-over par 86 to lead 22nd-ranked Carleton in the season's final event, the UW-Eau Claire Spring Invitational.
The Knights, unfortunately, went in reverse on the second day, posting a 357 to fall two spots to eighth, finishing at 705. Hope Keaney ’13 posted a 89, followed by Traci Johnson ’12 at 90 and Meghan Gajare ’11 with a 92. Buckler and Gajare were the Knights’ top finishers at 174, with Johnson three shots back of the junior duo and Keaney another three back of Johnson.
“This was one of those weekends for us where we just didn’t perform up to our capabilities,” Carleton head coach Eric Sieger said. “We saw last weekend that when we’re on our game, we can compete with pretty much any team in the country. We just have to bring that level of execution every round. It certainly isn’t an effort or talent issue, we just need to learn how to grind out solid scores.”
Second-ranked Gustavus won yet again, topping the field by 20 strokes at 627 and besting tournament host and third-ranked UW-Eau Claire. St. Olaf College continued its solid play and made its final plea to be nationally ranked by finishing third at 668. The BludGolds’ second team was fourth at 675, followed by unranked UW-Stevens Point at 688, No. 17 Wartburg at 690 and St. Thomas at 699.
Carleton still set a new single-season school scoring record, besting the previous record by last year’s team by nearly seven full shots at 343.6.
“To be honest, this team really exceeded my expectations,” Sieger said. He noted that Gajare missed the fall on a study-abroad experience, while the Knights top player and two-time All-MIAC performer Laura Knutson ’11 missed the final eight rounds of the spring season, also on a study-abroad experience.
“It’s exciting to think about next year,” Sieger said. “With everyone returning, if our players can work on their games this summer and come back just a little sharper and improved in the fall, I feel like the sky is the limit for this group.”