Senior Stacey Rodger fired a career-best one-under par 71 Tuesday (Oct. 6) and posted a 12th-place finish to lead the Missouri State women's golf squad to a ninth-place finish in the 18-team Johnie Imes Invitational in Columbia, Mo.  Rodger posted 75-82-71--228 in 54 holes at The Club at Old Hawthorne, a par 72 layout that played at 6204 yards.  Her final round score was the best in the field on a cool and blustery day.

MSU shot 310-309-315--934 to edge 10th-place Kansas by a stroke in the team race.  Wisconsin rallied to win with 309-299-301--909, while overnight leader Tulsa was second after recording 301-305-306--912.  Host Missouri (913) was third, followed by Mississippi (916), Illinois State (918), Arkansas-Little Rock (922), Indiana (928), Princeton (929), the Bears and Kansas.  Florida International (938) was 11th, followed by Bradley (942), Kansas State (949), Middle Tennessee State (958), Southern Illinois (960), Iowa (961), UMKC (982) and Redlands C.C. (1019).

Kristina Merkle of Tulsa held on to post a one-shot victory in the medalist race with 69-74-79--222, edging Molly Schemm of Wisconsin and Michelle Morgan of Missouri.  Sophomore Catherine Dolan and freshman Heather Smith were second for the Bears and tied for 26th overall with 232 totals, Dolan shooting 78-73-81 and Smith 73-79-80.  Freshman Hermine Greyling tied for 76th after carding 84-81-83--248 and sophomore Kelsey Welber posted 90-76-83--249 to tie for 79th.

MSU is idle next weekend before returning to action at the Hawkeye Invitational in Iowa City, Iowa, Oct. 17-18.