NEWTON, Kan. – The South Dakota women's golf team fought through blustery conditions on Sunday to conclude the first round of the Summit League Championship in a tie for third place. Senior Lexi Petersen is the top Coyote at Sand Creek Station Golf Club in a tie for ninth place.
 
Winds in Newton, Kansas, were above 25 mph much of the day with the lowest score in the field coming in at 2-over-par. Petersen totaled 80 shots for her ninth-place tie, which included two birdies. She ranks third in the field with 10 pars.
 
"It was the toughest day of golf we have had all season," head coach Brett Bennett said. "I am proud of the mental toughness of the team today with the windy conditions. Bogeys were not a bad score and we were able to minimize some mistakes."
 
Freshman Laerke Jensen is second in the field of 45 players with 11 pars and is one of three Coyotes tied for 12^th. Freshmen Megan Munneke and Emma Sabbagh joined Jensen in the tie with 81 shots. Sabbagh tallied three birdies with Munneke adding two.
 
The final Coyote in the field is junior Katie Bartlett in a tie for 38^th. She totaled 87 strokes through the first round.
 
South Dakota State holds the team lead with 321 shots at 33-over-par. The Coyotes are just two strokes behind with 323 shots. South Dakota is tied with Purdue Fort Wayne and is behind Denver who is in second place with 322 shots. Teresa Toscano of SDSU holds the individual lead with 74 strokes.
 
Round two gets underway Monday at 8 a.m. Sand Creek Station Country Club is playing 6,030 yards and to a par 72.