GOODYEAR, Ariz. – Despite improving their team stroke by 21 strokes from round one to round two, Chadron State women's golf remained in ninth place as the SMSU Challenge concluded in Goodyear, Arizona.

The Eagles shot a 61-over-par 340 as a team during Friday's second round, up from 361 over the same 18 holes on Thursday. Chadron finished 15 strokes behind eighth-place Minnesota-Crookston and 31 strokes ahead of 10^th-place UMary. The Eagles also finished in front of Bemidji State and MSU Moorhead. 

Individually, the Eagles had two golfers finish in the top 30 of the 76-golfer field. Klara Kleinig carded a 9-over-par 79, a 10-stroke improvement from her round on Thursday, rising 11 spots to finish tied for 24^th. 

Kleinig hit three birdies in her round, including the par-5 third hole, which she birdied for the second consecutive day. Her score of 79 Friday was the single best round by a CSC golfer over the course of the two-day event.

Payton Wise, a junior from Kimball, Nebraska, shot 87 in round two after carding 85 the day before. Wise, like Kleinig, also birdied the third hole and had two birdies on the day. For the tournament, Wise finished at 32-over 172 and tied for 30^th place. 

Aubree Heinsma had the second-best Friday of the Eagle golfers with a 12-over 82, improving from a round one 93. Heinsma also hit two birdies, on the par-4 11^th and the par-4 14^th, while rising eight spots on the individual leaderboard. 

Allison Sanger (22-over 92 today, 46-over 186 for the event) and Maggie Teague (29-over 99 today, 57-over 197 for the event) rounded out CSC's scoring golfers. Brooklyn Tychsen finished at 54-over 194 as an individual.

Saint Martin's rallied from second place after round one to take the team title by three strokes over Rockhurst and five strokes over Montana State Billings. Colorado Mesa placed fourth ahead of fellow RMAC schools Fort Lewis and MSU Denver. MSUB's Gia Vargas won medalist honors at 9-over 149.

Chadron State golf will compete next at the Southern Colorado Open in Pueblo on Sunday, February 23 and Monday, February 24.