HOWEY IN THE HILLS, Fla. – It was not the type of day that Coach Evan Spence and his Lee University  team had hoped for in the second round of the NCAA South/Southeast Regional Championship that is being played at the Mission Inn Resort. Only one Flame, Mitchell Strickland, shot par as the team slipped from 6th place to 13th after 36 holes in the 54-hole event.

North Georgia blistered the links and carded a 15-under par 273 and its 36-hole tally of 558 is nine strokes better than Wingate's 569. The North Carolina school posted a 5-under 283, good enough for second place. Florida Southern dropped to third (571), Columbus State fourth (573), LMU fifth (577), West Florida sixth (578) and USC Aiken joins Georgia Southwestern in a battle for the seventh spot (581).

While Strickland's 72 was leading the way for the Flames on Friday and holds a two-day total of 146, George Cordall followed with a 3-over 75 and stands at 145. Bennett McNabb and Drew Zielinski finished at 4-over 76 for their 36-hole score of 151 and 152. Luke Stock, the Lee leader on Thursday found the going tough in Friday's round. After opening with a 69 he slipped to a 78 that did not count in the final scoring and takes a 147 into Saturday's action.

In the hunt for medalist honors, King's Aasmund Norum is playing as an individual. He remains on the course but appears to be the leader. He is followed by Florida Southern's Max Barile (136), Wingate's Brandon Skidmore (137), and a pair of North Georgia golfers, Jack Vajda and Ethan Day are deadlocked for fourth at 139.

Coach Evan Spence's thoughts:
"We are going to have to find a way to gut it out and put together a great team round tomorrow to give us a chance. We are certainly capable of it but at some point you have to actually go out and do it, so we will see if we are up to the challenge tomorrow."