CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- Freshman Chris Niemiec (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles) opened play at the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Men's Golf Championship with a season-best 74 and followed it up with a five-over par 77 to help the Braves finish Monday's action at the par-72 Dalhousie Country Club in a tie for seventh place. Niemiec is seven shots behind the individual leader in a tie for fourth place after 36 holes of play.
Bradley entered the second round in a tie for sixth after shooting a 318 in the morning round. The Braves were seven shots better in the afternoon, carding the team's second-lowest round of the spring with a 311 to finish the day in a tie for seventh place at 629.
Niemiec shot rounds of 74 and 77 to pace Bradley as he finished the day in a tie for fourth place at 151. Wichita State's Dustin Garza is the individual leader heading into Tuesday's final round at even-par 144. Garza had rounds of 73 and 71 and holds a two-shot edge on teammate Connor McHenry, who is second at 146.
Junior Zach Wanken (Galesburg, Ill./Galesburg) fired an 82 in the afternoon before turning in the best second-round score for the Braves with a four-over par 76 to move into a tie for 24th place at 158. Sophomore Coby Thompson (East Galesburg, Ill./Knoxville) is one shot behind Wanken in a tie for 27th at 159, after rounds of 77 and 82.
Freshman Earl Gerlach (Normal, Ill./Normal West) improved by seven shots in the afternoon, shooting a 78 after carding an opening round 85 and is tied for 37th at 163. Sophomore Nathan Perry (Normal, Ill./Normal West) rounded out the scoring for the Braves at 165 (85-80) and finished the day in a tie for 40th place.
Wichita State holds 13-shot lead on second-place Illinois State with a two-round score of 591. The Redbirds are second at 604, while Southern Illinois is third at 613. Evansville is 10 shots back of the Salukis in fourth place at 623, while Missouri State is fifth in the standings at 625. Drake will open the third round in sixth at 627 with Bradley and Creighton following in seventh place at 629. Northern Iowa rounds out the field in ninth place with a score of 638.
The Braves close out play at the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Men's Golf Championship Tuesday with one round of play. Live updates are available on the golfstat website at http://www.golfstatresults.com/public/index.cfm?tournament_id=1401
