By Rob Schabert, Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information

SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. – Senior Bryce Kendrick blazed through Monday's second round at the Bobby Nichols Intercollegiate with a three-under-par 69, leading the way for the Tennessee Tech men's golf team to jump to fifth place at the 12-team tournament with one round remaining.

Kendrick marked four birdies Monday to score the second-best round on a windy afternoon on the River Course of the Sevierville Golf Club. Opening the day on the ninth hole, Kendrick scored birdies on his first two holes to set the tone toward tying his career-low round and making a jump from 52^nd place after a Sunday round of 77 to a tie for eighth place at 146.

It was one of just two sub-70 scores on the day, and one of only seven in two rounds of play.

The Golden Eagles used Kendrick's effort to jump from a tie for eighth place into a tie for fifth.

Murray State held onto its first round lead, following a 282 Sunday with a 293 on Monday for a one-under, 36-hole total of 575. That's 10 shots better than Western Kentucky in second place at nine-over 585 after the Hilltoppers went from 288 Sunday to a 297 Monday.

In fact, 11 of the 12 teams had higher scores in the second round than Sunday's opening tour of the course. Only Evansville improved on the second day, going from 310 to 301 and moving up one spot to 11^th place.

The Golden Eagles had the next-best showing in comparison with their first round, going from a 296 to a 300, an increase of just four strokes against the wind. Every other team scored at least nine strokes higher Monday.

Following Murray State and Western Kentucky, Oakland is third at 288-301—589. Southern Illinois (289-305—594) is fourth, while Tech and Austin Peay are tied for fifth at 596.

Wright State (597) is seventh, followed by Carson-Newman (600), Jacksonville State (601), Samford (608), Evansville (611) and Tennessee State (619).

Kendrick's eight-stroke improvement was the biggest jump of the tournament, individually.

Senior Mitch Thomas is tied for 10^th, posting scores of 71-76—147, while senior Neil Gannaway is tied for 26^th place at 74-75—149. Freshman Matthew Giles (78-80—158) and sophomore A.J. Wilkerson (74-84—158) are tied for 62^nd place to round out Tech's lineup.

Among the 18 players competing as individuals, freshman Ben Huskey, playing in his hometown, is tied for 50^th at 74-81—155, while sophomore Alexander Riddle is tied for 66^th at 78-81—159.

Murray State's Jared Gosser has vaulted into the individual lead after posting rounds of 69 and 67 for a 136 total. That bumped his ahead of teammate Preston French, who followed his Sunday round of 67 with a 75 Monday, but is still in second place.

The final 18 holes are set for a 10 a.m. shotgun start Tuesday.