By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
JORDAN, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University men's golf team didn't get off the start they were hoping for at the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships.
 
But the Cardinals' finishing kick certainly put a smile on coach Steve Randgaard's face.
 
Saint Mary's, which struggled to an opening-round 326 on Sunday, whittled 11 shots off that performance in Round 2 Monday — posting a 315 — and picked up right where they left off in the second round of the day, shooting a 298 to finish eighth overall.
 
Blair Sanders (Kansas City, Mo.) led the way for the Cardinals during the first 18 holes of the day on Monday, equaling his career best with a two-over-par 74, while Cooper Craiger (Des Moines, Iowa) and Alex Allen (Monticello, Minn.) paced Saint Mary's during Round 2 — Craiger notching his second under-par round of the season with a two-under 70, while Allen chipped in a career-best two-over 74.
 
Bryce Galewski (Winona, Minn.) finished as the low Cardinal over the 54-hole event — the final MIAC Championships of his collegiate career — carding rounds of 78-79-76 for a 233 total and a 17th-place individual showing.
 
Craiger closed out his first MIAC Championships by finishing one shot back of Galewski with a 224 (82-82-70) — good for 18th overall — with Joe Abdo (Edina, Minn. / 78-80-78—236), Sanders (88-74-78—240), and Allen (89-82-74—245) rounding out the Cardinal lineup.
 
St. Thomas claimed the team title, shooting rounds of 289-284 Monday for an 878 total and a four-shot win over runner-up Gustavus. Saint John's placed third (305-300-291—896), followed by Augsburg (306-297-309—912) and Concordia (305-300-309—914). Saint Mary's put together rounds of 325-315-298 for its eighth-place 939 total.
 
UST's Emmet Herb posted a two-under 69 in the opening round Monday and added a three-under 68 to claim medalist honors with a 211 — seven shots up on Gustavus' Jacob Pedersen (74-74-69—218). Preston Kopel of Saint John's (77-73-70—220) and St. Thomas' Jack Nasby (77-72-71—220) were tied for third, and River Goodmanson (74-73-74—221) and Gustavus' Max Ulan (73-78-70—221) shared the No. 5 slot.