After placing 12th at the Newman invite for UNK’s worst performance of the year, the Loper women’s golf team returned to the scene of the crime for the MIAA Championships. The Lopers came out of the three-day tournament at Sand Creek Station with a conference championship.

The Lopers scored a 934 in the 54-hole tournament, which won the championship by nine strokes.

“I think we just came back with a little bit of revenge,” said sophomore Allison Comer. “We felt more confident going into it and we’ve started playing better as the season has gone on.”

UNK battled through the elements during the windy conditions on their way to qualifying for their fourth regional tournament in school history.

“We have some girls who haven’t ever really played in the wind before, just some different freshman and stuff,” said coach Shawn Rodehorst. “They were just a lot mentally tougher. We weren’t good at that two weeks, and we were the best in the field by far this week.”

Comer led the Lopers tying for third at 15-over par for the team’s first-ever MIAA Championship. 

“Allison Comer has really stepped up this spring,” Rodehorst said. “She kind of stopped pressing a little bit and just lets it happen. She’s really stepped up big.”

Juliana Botero Molina tied for sixth at 18-over par and Brooke King tied for ninth at 22-over par. The Lopers were rounded out by Faviola Gonzalez tying for 13th and Paige Lucero tying for 26th.

“It was great. We worked really hard this whole season, and we’re looking forward to regionals this week,” Comer said.

The Lopers will compete in much-warmer Hot Springs, Arkansas on May 2-4 in the Division II Central Regional.

“We’re excited to get down there,” Rodehorst said. “We played there in the fall and played all right. We have some confidence that hopefully we can go down there and let it rip.”