By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information

MUSCLE SHOALS, Ala. – For the second time in the last three years, the Tennesse Tech men's golf team advanced to the match-play segment of the Ohio Valley Conference Championships after delivering a runner-up showing in the stroke-play portion of the league's annual postseason event at the Fighting Joe Course at The Shoals on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail.

The purple and gold went wire-to-wire in second place, trailing stroke-play leader Little Rock by eight shots. Tech turned in a 294 on the day to finish with an 871 while the Trojans posted a 293 to end the third round with an 863.

Haden Maxwell and Mark McDearman led the effort for the Golden Eagles, each earning a selection to the OVC All-Tournament Team. Maxwell earned his first career honor after placing second overall among the 55 golfers, trailing only individual medalist Archie Smith of Little Rock, who mounted a 7-under-209 for the win. 

The Tech sophomore tied his career-low score for 54 holes with a 2-under 214, earning the highest finish by a Golden Eagle at the OVC Championships since TTU Sports Hall of Famer and current PGA Tour pro Scott Stallings picked up back-to-back runner-up showings in 2006 and 2007. Maxwell registered three birdies and 13 pars for an even-par 72 for round three.

McDearman picked up his first appearance on the OVC All-Tournament Team behind a final-round score of 2-over 74, backed by three birdies and 10 pars. The senior tied for fourth on the leaderboard with a three-day total of 217.

Finishing just two strokes back of his teammate, Jackson Skeen worked up the team's top round of the day, carding a 1-under 71 thanks to five birdies and nine pars. The junior tied for seventh overall behind a score of 219.

Helping secure Tech's second-place standing, senior Sean Anderson put together a 77 on the final day of play, firing a pair of birdies with 12 pars. The veteran produced a 224 to tie for 17th in the field. 

Subbing in for an injured Anders Larson, freshman Alex Broyles put together a solid showing in his first action at the OVC Championships, recording a 77 with two birdies. 

Tech, serving as the No. 2 seed, will now square off head-to-head with No. 3 UT Martin in the match-play semifinals, kicking off the action at 8:04 a.m. CT off of hole No. 11. The winner will advance to the finals, taking on the winner between No. 1 Little Rock and No. 4 SIUE for the league's annual title and an automatic bid to the NCAA Men's Golf Championships.

For the match-play semifinals, Skeen will face off against UT Martin's Jacob Uehlein while Broyles will take on Grant Phillips. Anderson will match up with the Skyhawks' Luke Caldwell, McDearman will square off with Jonathan Xoinis, and Maxwell will compete against Dax Isbell.

Photo by Michael Wade