Story by NU Athletic Communications
Lena Hassert carded back-to-back rounds of 73 (+1) to end the first 36 holes of the Mary Fossum Invitational in a tie for 13th on Sunday in East Lansing, Mich.
Hassert, a junior from Kreuzau, Germany, led a solid showing by Nebraska's five-player lineup on the par-72, 6,370-yard layout at Forest Akers West Golf Course. Hassert's two-round total of 146 (+2) helped the Huskers to fifth place (290-298=588) in a strong 15-team field that featured nine 2023 NCAA Regional-qualifying teams entering Monday's final round.
The hosts from Michigan State opened up a solid lead at 566 (-10), eight strokes ahead of Purdue at 574 (-2). Ohio State enters the final round in third at 581 (+5), while Tennessee sits in fourth at 585 (+9) just three shots ahead of the Huskers.
Nebraska's Miu Takahashi (Nasu-machi, Japan) joined Hassert in the top 25 individually through 36 holes. The junior fired NU's best round of the day with a 71 (-1) in Sunday's second round, after opening with a 77. She enters the final round tied for 24th at 148 (+4).
Senior Michaela Vavrova (Bojnice, Slovakia) and sophomore Kelli Ann Strand (Challis, Idaho) sit in a tie for 32nd at 149 (+5), just one shot back of Takahashi. Strand and Vavrova carded matching rounds of 72 and 77 on Sunday.
True freshman Arden Louchheim (Park City, Utah) rounded out Nebraska's lineup, tying for 70th at 159 through 36 holes. Louchheim opened with a 73 (+1) to provide one of NU's scores in the five-count-four lineup in the opening round. The three-time Utah high school champion battled to an 86 in the second round.
Michigan State golfers occupied the top three spots on the individual leaderboard at their home course, led by Katie Lu's 139 (-5) through two rounds. Lu, who posted rounds of 70 and 69, sits three shots ahead of teammates Leila Raines (73-69) and Brooke Biermann (71-71) who sit in a tie for second at 142 (-2).
Purdue's Kan Bunnabodee (72-71) and Ohio State's Kary Hollenbaugh (71-72) round out the top five individuals in a tie for fourth at 143 (-1).
The Mary Fossum Invitational concludes with the final 18 holes on Monday beginning at 7:30 a.m. (CT). Live scoring is available from Golfstat on Huskers.com.
Mary Fossum Invitational