(RUTLEDGE, Ga., March 11)- The McKendree University women's golf team finished in third place at the Piedmont College Spring Invitational to open up their spring season.

McKendree will return to the course on March 20 at the Gateway Championship Golf Tournament hosted by University of Missouri-St. Louis at Gateway National Golf Course in Madison , Ill.

Tennessee Wesleyan won first place with a team score of 682 and Spartansburg Methodist finished in second place with a 705. McKendree shot a two day total of 740 to finish in third place, narrowly edging out Piedmont College's score of 741.

An eagle on a 6th hole par 5 on day one set the pace for Brittany Kellerman (Pinckneyville, Ill./Pinckneyville)'s fifth place finish with a two day score of 171. Other score's for McKendree were a 187 by both MIranda Gibson and Stephanie Harris (Alhambra, Ill./Highland). Bethany Hinkle (Mascoutah, Ill./Mascoutah) shot a 193, while Jessica Smith (Swansea, Ill./Belleville East) and Renee Ryterski (DuBois, Ill./Nashville) shot a 198 and 199, respectively.