HOT SPRINGS VILLAGE, Ark. – The Illinois State Redbirds carded a second-round 292 to help erase the memory of a forgettable opening round, as the 'Birds climbed three spots in the standings with the third-best team score of the second round – an improvement of 14 strokes from the opening round.
ISU's 292 is the team's sixth round under 300 this season, tied for the most total such rounds in a season in school history, and stands as the sixth-lowest single-round in program history.
The Redbirds return to the course tomorrow in the last of the three rounds, as teams will go off the tee with a shotgun start at 9 a.m. tomorrow morning.
The Redbird team score over the two rounds gives the team a 598, which ties them with Missouri State for seventh in the field. Central Arkansas – behind a three-under 285 – leads the field with a 572, while ULM stands second with a 577. Tournament host Little Rock is in third place with a 587, while UT Arlington (590), Georgia State (592), and Houston Baptist (293) all open the final day ahead of the Redbirds. Bradley (605), Wichita State (610), and Stephen F. Austin (614) round out the field of 11 behind the 'Birds.
Maria Toledo Bailey closed the second day with a two-under-par 70, and her two-round total of 140 has her in a tie for fourth place individually in the field. Vinisha Gunaseelan's 149 has her tied for 28th, while Kehler Koss is just behind with a 151, tied for 32nd. Kira Wolf has a two-round 156, tied for 49th, with Ali Schrock climbing 10 spots after her first round, and stands in 55th with a two-round 160.
Toledo Bailey was at or under par for the entirety of the round for the Redbirds, as she had even 35's on both the front and back nine on the day. She opened with three pars followed by a birdie on her fourth hole of the day. A bogey followed to put her back to even par; however, two holes later a birdie put her back under par, which she took into the turn between halves of the course. Two holes into her back nine she picked up a bogey to push her back to even par; however, she closed strong with two birdies and five pars over her final seven holes to tie her career-best with a two-under 70 – tied for the second-best round in the field for the second day.
Koss, a graduate transfer, ended her second round with a one-over-par 73, which included three birdies – two over the last three holes – and 11 pars for her second-best round of the 2021 fall season.
Gunaseelan also had her second-best round of the season with a two-over-par 74, which had four birdies and nine pars, as her back nine was at even par, sending her into the final day with some strong momentum.
After her first round in the 80's this season over the first 18 holes, Schrock rebounded well, posting a one-under-par 35 over her final nine holes, closing the day with a three-over-par 75 in the second round, a round that had three birdies and 11 pars.
Wolf was the team's fifth golfer with a five-over-par 77, as she had a birdie and a dozen pars over her middle 18 holes.
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