After two consecutive first-place finishes, the Iowa State women’s golf team competed this week at the Big 12 Fall Preview.

The Cyclones shot a team total of 923 to come away with an eighth-place finish at the Ridgewood Country Club in Waco, Texas. The team faced very strong opposition, as eight of the top 35 teams in the country competed at the tournament.

“It was a great experience for us,” said ISU Women’s Golf Coach Julie Manning. “It sends a message that we can compete with anyone on any given day.”

The Cyclones were in position to finish even higher, starting the final round in sixth place.

“We had an opportunity to do something we haven’t done in a long time,” said Manning.

“We certainly could have placed in the top three or four, had we put a couple of rounds together. It seemed like our focus was a little scattered,” she said.

“This time we managed to put ourselves in a good position,” said senior Heather Elenbaas. “We were right where we wanted to be. It’s exciting knowing that everybody can go out there and shoot low numbers.”

Freshman Lisa Meshke led Iowa State’s charge with a three-round score of 222, good enough to tie her for fourth place. Sophomore Laura Wells and senior Noel Jacobusse finished in a tie for 28th place with a score of 233.

Cathy Ennis shot 239 to complete her tournament in a tie for 46th place. Elenbaas came back from a rough first day to shoot 248 and tie for 60th.

Conference favorite Oklahoma State won the team title with a three-round total of 895. Missouri finished only four strokes back to place second. Southern division schools Texas and Oklahoma tied for third with a final team score of 904.

Melanie Hunt of Texas Tech needed a playoff to defeat Missouri’s Amelia Moses for medalist honors.

Maria Boden, last year’s defending champion, was three shots back to finish third.

Tying with Meshke for fourth was another true freshman, Michaelyn Morgan of Baylor.

The Cyclones have logged a lot of travel time over the past few weeks. This tournament is the squad’s fourth in the last month.

“We are starting to tire a bit, but you can’t think about it,” said Elenbaas. “You find a way to get things done.”

Over the next two weeks, the Cyclones will finish their fall season with tournaments at Colorado and Kansas State.

“Our confidence has to be at a all-time high,” Manning said. “I feel that we can go out these next two weeks with the idea that we can win.”

The team will start their final weeks at the Heather Farr Memorial in Boulder, Colorado next Monday and Tuesday.