Morningside won the Mount Marty Invitational women’s golf tournament with an all-freshmen lineup

Morningside’s women’s golf team made a sparkling season’s debut when they captured the team title at the Mount Marty Invitational held Thursday and Friday in Yankton, S.D.

The Mustangs finished with a two-day total of 681 for a 16-stroke cushion over runner-up Mount Marty. Seven-time defending GPAC champion Dakota Wesleyan finished in third in the eight-team field with a 704 to finish 23 shots behind the Mustangs.

Morningside’s victory was even more impressive since their lineup consisted of four freshmen and a redshirt freshman.

Alexandra Mankle, who finished sixth at this past year’s Iowa Class 3A high school state tournament as a senior at Okoboji High School, led the Mustangs with rounds of 79 and 86 for a 165 to take runner-up medalist honors. Mankle finished eight shots behind reigning GPAC individual champion Lauren Fitts of Dakota Wesleyan.

Mikaela Livengood, who finished fifth at last year’s 3A state tourney as a senior at Clarion-Goldfield High School, finished sixth with rounds of 83 and 87 for a 170. Cheyanne Becker and Myla Brown, a transfer who was a redshirt at Minnesota State Mankato last year, tied for eighth at 173.

Elizabeth Thies, also a Mustang freshman, just missed a top 10 finish with a 178 for 11th place.

Results