NORMAL, Ill. – After accumulating a 318 (+30) Saturday's opening day of the Kathy Niepagen Spring Fling, the Carleton women's golf team shot a 38-over par 326 in Sunday's final round to place the Knights sixth of 21 teams at Ironwood Golf Club.  Carleton finished just three shots out of the top five as 10th-ranked St. Catherine took the team title.
 
Competing as an individual in this week's tournament, first-year Anna Lee was the top finisher for the Knights.  The Vernon Hills, Ill., native followed up an opening-round five-over-par 77 with a six-over 78 on Sunday.  She opened her final round with a double-bogey on the par-four 15th hole before settling in.  She went on to play the next 10 holes just one-over-par before finishing out her round with the six-over 78.  The two-day total of 155 (+11) placed tied for eighth and earned her a top-10 finish for just the second time in her collegiate career.   
 
Sophomore Mindy Zhai was the only other Knight to card a score in the 70s on the afternoon.  As the top finisher of the Carleton starting lineup, Zhai used a one-over 37 on the back nine to post a six-over-par 78.  The lone bogey on the back came on the par-five 11th hole in what was a brilliant back nine.  Her final round 78 gave her a two-day total of 156 (+12) and placed her inside the top 15 in a tie for 14th. 
 
Junior Carter Sichol followed with an eight-over-par 80 in Sunday's final round.  After opening her round with four straight pars, she finished the front nine of the course with a two-over-par 38.  A difficult back nine led to a six-over 42 to finish with the eight-over 80.  Combined with a seven-over-par 79 in Saturday's opening round, the finish on Sunday was enough to earn the Winnetka, Ill., native another top-20 finish on the individual leaderboard, her fifth consecutive top-20 finish of the season.
 
Junior Cynthia Lu carded a 10-over-par 82 in Sunday's final round.  The score matches her opening round 82 on Saturday to give her a two-day total of 164 (+20) to finish tied for 38th.  Senior Olivia Siebert carded a pair of birdies on her way to a 14-over-par 86.  Paired with a seven-over-par 79 yesterday, Siebert finished with 165 strokes (+21), which tied her for 41st. 
 
Junior Natalie Tatar rounded out the starting lineup for the Knights with an 87 (+15) on Sunday for a two-round total of 174 (+30) and a 76th place finish.  Junior Sarah Zheng also competed as an individual, carding a 10-over 82 on Sunday.  She opened with four straight bogeys, starting on the back nine.  But a two-over 38 on the front nine showed her resolve in shooting the 82, which gave her a two-round total of 167 (+23) and a tie for 47th-place finish.
 
Up Next for the Knights
Carleton will next compete in the one-day Rumble at the Ridge next Saturday, April 19.  The event will be hosted by Bethel University at Oneka Ridge Golf Course in Hugo, Minnesota.