SIUC met the expectations of the other Missouri Valley Conference teams at the MVC Championships Tuesday. Unfortunately, those predictions did not include a return to Carbondale with a conference crown.

The Saluki men’s golf team shot a consistent score of 942 but could manage only a sixth-place finish at the conference tournament at Quarry Oaks Golf Course in Ashland, Neb. The finish matched the Salukis’ sixth-place seed heading into the tournament.

SIUC fired rounds of 314, 313 and 315 to finish 22 strokes behind fifth place Illinois State University (920). The finish was two spots ahead of the Salukis’ eighth-place showing in last year’s championships. SIUC used rounds of 312, 308 and 322 for a total of 942.

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Drake University captured the conference title with a team score of 884, two strokes ahead of second place Wichita State University.

The championship was never challenged by the league’s bottom six teams. Drake, Wichita State and Southwest Missouri State University battled for the title in the three rounds. Heavily-favored Wichita State led second-place SMSU by six strokes after the first round and had a six-stroke lead over Drake heading into the final round.

But the Bulldogs shot a tournament-low 290 on the final day to defend their 1997 conference crown. Drake shot an 866 last year, easily outdistancing the Shockers (885).

SMSU (904), University of Northern Iowa (917), Bradley University (945), Creighton University (959) and the University of Evansville (977) rounded out the team scores.

Saluki senior Kory Neisen had another impressive showing, firing rounds of 76, 77 and 77 for a total of 230 and a three-way tie for the 15th individually. Sophomore Garrett Stiegman fired rounds of 81, 74 and 80 (235) for 23rd place.

Rounding out the Saluki individual efforts were seniors Phil Boeckmann and John Raski III (234) in a tie for 34th place. Junior Craig Castrale failed to qualify.

Drake continued its dominance in conference play by adding the top two individual places to its second-straight conference team championship. Ben Pettitt captured medalist honors by firing rounds of 70, 72 and 74 for a three-round total of even-par 216. Pettitt edged out teammate Cory Braunschweig, who fired a 75, 72 and 71 to finish two shots behind in second place.

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Southwest Missouri State’s Rohan Allwood used rounds of 71, 76 and 75 for a 222 and third place, while Wichita State’s Corey Novascone, Brad Golden and Jeff Mackebon all shot 223 for a three-way tie for fourth.