Northern Michigan University sophomore women's golfer Abbie Pietila swings for a university publicity shot. (Photo courtesy NMU)

WASHINGTON, Mich. — With a quick turnaround at another two-day tournament this weekend, the women’s golf team at Northern Michigan University finished 12th of 13 teams at the Warrior Invitational held in suburban Detroit on Monday and Tuesday.

The field included seven other teams from the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, several other former league members and some teams from other Midwestern states.

The Wildcats shot 1,013 over three rounds by four players apiece, a total of 12 rounds, that amounted to a 149-over-par total at the par-72, 6,020-yard Orchards Golf Club. Each team played two full 18-hole rounds on Monday and another on Tuesday.

Hosted by GLIAC member Wayne State, the conference’s Grand Valley State and former league member Findlay tied for the team title, each with 885, or 21-over par.

Just in front of Northern was 11th-place Cedarville, nine strokes better with 1,004 (140-over), while at the bottom was Purdue Northwest at 1,033 (169-over).

NMU improved in its final round, going from team rounds of 51-over and 60-over on Monday to just 38-over on Tuesday, eighth-best in the final round.

Statistically, NMU averaged 3.72 strokes on par-3s, 4.95 on par-4s and 5.95 on par-5s. The Wildcats had 16 birdies, 91 bogeys and 72 double-bogeys.

And among Northern golfers, sophomore Maddy Martens led the way by tying for 34th among 78 golfers with 243, or 27-over. After an opening-round 85, her final two rounds were each 79s as she accumulated four birdies, including two on the 11th hole, a 478-yard par-5.

Starting on the 11th hole each round, she was 1-under after eight holes of her final round, and overall led the team in par-4 scoring at 4.57 per hole and par-5 scoring at 5.25, also getting the most pars with 26 and fewest double-bogeys with seven.

Freshman Aavra Relich was second for NMU at 253 (37-over) and tied for 51st after rounds of 80, 84 and 89 in her first collegiate event. Her opening round included 13 pars as overall she matched Martens with four birdies, including back-to-back on Nos. 5 and 6 in the second round and Nos. 13 and 15 in the third. She led the team in par-3 scoring at 3.42 per hole and finished with 24 pars.

Sophomore Abbie Pietila was next for the Wildcats at 254 (38-over) and in 55th place after shooting 84, 90 and 80, the final round including three birdies and six pars. She led Northern with six birdies, including on the 346-yard, par-4 No. 4 that proved to be the sixth-hardest hole of the event.

Junior Payton Donnelly was next at 263 (47-over) and tied for 66th with 90, 95 and 78, her final round the best for NMU. In that final round, she had a pair of birdies and just one double-bogey, finishing the three rounds with 21 pars.

In addition, teammate Abby Luke was at 296 (80-over) on 106, 99 and 91; Olivia Brill at 310 (94-over) on 106, 97 and 107; and Gabriella Moreau at 315 (99-over) on 98, 101 and 116.

This weekend’s event is the Bulldog Fall Classic at Katke Golf Course in Big Rapids and hosted by Ferris State with one round each on Saturday and Sunday.

Story contents based on Northern Michigan University Sports Information press release reviewing the meet. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee’s email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.