Simpson takes fourth at IIAC Championship

STORM LAKE, Iowa - Led by all-conference performers Stacy Bergeson and Jennifer Gaffney, the Simpson women's tennis team finished the final round of the Iowa Conference Championships in fourth place on Saturday.

Bergeson placed fifth, holding onto the momentum she built on Friday. She carded an 84 in the final 18 holes from Lake Creek Country Club, closing the tournament with a 72-hole total of 336 (87-85-80-84). 

The sophomore finished three strokes behind Buena Vista's Kylie Hammer and held off teammate Gaffney by a stroke.

Gaffney placed sixth, shaking off her worst round of the tournament with her best round. She fired an 80, the second-best score of the day behind only tournament champion Sarah Paulson's 78. The junior began the day in 10th place and closed with a four-round total score of 337 (82-85-90-80).

Wartburg won the team title, turning in a team score of 1,336. Central placed second (1,367), followed by Luther (1,377) and Simpson (1,390). Loras finished fifth (1,440).

Central's Paulson won the individual crown, turning in the low scorecard of the day (78) to finish the tournament at 312.

Senior Taylor Hillery, a 2009 All-Iowa Conference performer, closed out her career with a 17th place finish (87-84-95-89, 335). Fellow senior Jennifer Stumpf tied for 33rd (102-83-107-91, 383) and Molly Hill tied for 23rd (83-92-95-91, 371).