For Minnesota women’s golf team freshmen Michele Edlin and Teresa Puga, it was a tale of two vastly different 18’s yesterday in Indiana.

Both managed to pick up eight strokes in their afternoon round and helped bump the Gophers into 12th place after 36 holes at the Indiana Invitational. The tournament, hosted by the University of Indiana, concludes with a final 18 holes today at Crooked Stick Golf Club.

Puga and Edlin struggled mightily in their first round, limping to scores of 83 and 82, respectively. Neither woman carded a birdie and posted a double and triple bogey apiece.

Puga, who started on the 16th hole, played her last nine holes in 10-over par, wasting a brilliant first nine holes of 1-over golf.

Edlin, meanwhile, put up a pair of 41s during the morning 18.

But the freshmen quickly disregarded their morning rounds and bounced back well in the afternoon.

Edlin recorded a bogey-free 34 on her back nine en route to a 2-over 74 while Puga strung together a 37 and a 38 to finish her second 18 with a 3-over 75.

Associate head coach Kristine Wessinger was rightly encouraged by both players’ resilience.

“The second 18, their ball striking was good and they played better,” she said. “They both hit a lot more greens, which is good. It was fun to see some young kids come back and shoot some decent rounds.”

During Puga’s and Edlin’s rollercoaster ride of a day, however, Minnesota had a pair of women playing somewhat more consistent golf.

Junior Paige Bromen and freshman Mary Narzisi finished day one tied for 32nd, as both had a round of 76 and a round of 77 for a first day total of 9-over 153.

And if it wasn’t for one poor nine from each, they would be flirting with the top 20.

Still, Wessinger said the solid play of Bromen and Narzisi helped the Gophers immensely.

“It’s good to have a couple people you know are going to come in with consistent rounds,” she said. “Obviously that’s great for the team, it’s good for their teammates and hopefully we can create more of that in the future.”