The Iowa State women’s golf team claimed the team title at the Hawkeye Invitational over the weekend behind the performance of four top ten finishers, three of which were in the top five.

“It was a great tournament,” women’s head golf coach Julie Manning said. “It is great to win.”

The win was the first for the Cyclones this season.

Junior Gwynn Shepherd led the Cyclones by carding 227 strokes after 54 holes to claim second place, a distant six strokes behind medalist Jenny Nodland of Iowa.

“We need Gwynn to compete,” Manning said. “She is a great performer.”

Senior Holly Duncan claimed third place in the individual competition by totaling 228 strokes and senior Beth Bader shot a 233 stroke total to finish in fifth place overall.

Sophomore Fiona Watson carded a 236 total to round out the Cyclone top ten finishers. Watson tied for ninth in the individual competition.

“I was really happy with Fiona’s performance,” Manning said. “She got a good lesson from a golf pro this past week and it really helped.”

Other golfers for the Cyclones include sophomore Cathy Matthews, who finished tied for fourteenth after totaling 238 strokes and sophomore Sara Linneman, who finished further back with 253 strokes.

“This is indicative of what you will see out of this team all year,” Manning said. “I was hoping for this type of performance last week at Illinois St.; it just took an extra week to really get back on track again.”

The team totaled 919 strokes, six strokes ahead of Minnesota. The Golden Gophers were ahead of the Cyclones by a single stroke going into the final 18 holes of the course.

“It was a great surge,” Manning said. “We were in great position going into the final round, and I was really pleased with Shepherd’s [73], and Holly Duncan in that round.”

The Golden Gophers were led by Amy Dahle. Dahle totaled 231 strokes to take fourth place in the tournament.

Arkansas-Little Rock took third place in the team title, 16 strokes behind the Cyclones.

Despite Nodland’s performance, the Hawkeyes finished a distant fourth in the five-team tournament. The Hawkeyes totaled 941 strokes, 22 behind the Cyclones.

The final participant in the tournament was fellow Big Eight opponent Kansas State. The Wildcats totaled 968 strokes for the tournament.

“This tournament helps us with our recruiting since we are after the same recruits when we can put these facts in front of them,” Manning said. “This is the fourth straight year that we have ruled the Hawks.”

The Cyclones will participate next in the Northwestern Invitational, this weekend in Evanston, IL.

Manning said the next two tournaments will be very difficult — all of the top teams in the region will be there. The tournaments are important because they will carry weight in May for the NCAA Regionals.

Indiana, one of the top teams in the nation, will be playing in the Cyclones’ next tournament. Manning said one of the best individual players in the country will be participating. Ohio State may also be another team to compete with.

“These next two tournaments are solid fields of fifteen teams,” Manning said. “There will be a lot of talent at these tournaments.”