SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Saint Mary's College Golf took a fifth place finish at the Battle at Blackthorn, hosted by Bethel University on Monday and Tuesday. The Belles finished with a 638, shooting 332-306. The 306 was the lowest team score for the Belles since the MIAA Championships last spring. 
 
Senior Colleen Hand (Royal Oak, MI) led the Belles with a T12 finish after shooting a career low 36-hole score of 156 (+12). She tallied an 84-72 on the tournament. Her second round even par finish was a career best round for the senior. Hand added five birdies on the week, two in round one and three in round two. In round one she birdied the par four sixth and par five ninth, in round two, she birdied the par five ninth again, the par four 12th, and finished her round with a birdie on the par three 16th.
 
Junior Ella Notaro (Crystal Lake, IL) followed close behind with a T15 finish after shooting a 36-hole career low score herself of a 158 (+14). Notaro added rounds of 82-76, her second round score was also a career low 18-hole score for the junior. With a birdie on the par four seventh hole in round two, Notaro shot an even 36 on the front nine. Notaro added a nine hole stretch in round two from holes 17 to seven where she shot one under par with eight straight pars.
 
Freshman Stella Bernhardt (Ada, MI) finished right behind Notaro with a T17 finish after shooting a collegiate 36-hole low of a 159 (+15). The freshman added rounds of 82-77 with her second round score also being a collegiate career low 18-hole score. Bernhardt added an impressive six birdies on the tournament. In round one she would birdie the par four 14th then go back-to-back on the par four sixth and seventh holes. In round two, she added three in a four hole stretch, birdieing the par four 10th and 12th holes and the par three 13th. She shot an impressive three-under par over her final nine holes.
 
Sophomore Kate Plessinger (Columbus, OH) took a T29 finish after carding the fourth 36-hole career low score for the Belles on the tournament with a 165 (+21). Plessinger added rounds of 84-81 on the week. The sophomore also added a birdie on the par five ninth in round two. Freshman Peyton Kauzlick rounded out the competitors for the Belles with a T32 finish and a 166 (+22), shooting rounds of 84-82. Kauzlick added one birdie in each round with one on the par five ninth in round one and one on the par fourth 12th in round two.
 
UP NEXT FOR THE BELLES
Saint Mary's closes out the fall season with back-to-back MIAA Jamborees starting on October 6 at Zollner Golf Course in Angola, IN, hosted by Trine University. The Belles close out the fall on October 12 as they host the final MIAA Jamboree at the Warren Golf Course at the University of Notre Dame.