DENTON, Texas (Sept. 20, 2021) – In perhaps the deepest field in terms of ranked teams that Oklahoma Christian ever has faced in a regular-season tournament, the Eagles acquitted themselves well on Monday in the Dallas Baptist Classic at Wildhorse Golf Club at Robson Ranch.

No. 24-ranked OC improved significantly from round to round, following a first-round team score of 304 with a 293 to end the day tied for seventh place among 19 teams at 597.

OC is one of a whopping 10 ranked teams in the tournament, including the top three teams in last week's Women's Golf Coaches Association poll for NCAA Division II. The Eagles were the lowest-ranked of that group, but led three ranked foes heading into Tuesday's final round – No. 8 Missouri-St. Louis, No. 12 Tampa (Fla.) and No. 18 Arkansas Tech. OC was tied with No. 14 Texas A&M-Commerce.

No. 7 St. Mary's (Texas), which won the Division II West Super Regional on the same course last May, held a six-shot lead over No. 1 Dallas Baptist (the defending national champion) and No. 2 Lynn (Fla.), with No. 3 Indianapolis (Ind.) fourth, nine shots back. Only one non-ranked team – Saint Leo (Fla.), in sixth place at 593 – held down a spot in the top 10 after the first day.

Freshman Haley Blevins of Edmond, Okla., produced OC's top round of the day on the 6,182-yard course. She struggled in the opening round, shooting an 80 that included a birdie on the par-4 No. 16, her final hole. That seemed to turn on a switch, as she started her second round with three birdies over her first five holes.

She fell back to even par for the round, but a fourth birdie, on the par-5 No. 12, helped her finish off a 1-under-par 71. She was tied for 43rd in the 96-woman field at 151.

Sophomore Camilla Jarvela of Espoo, Finland – the individual runner-up in the West Super Regional in May – turned in the Eagles' top score, a 148 after rounds of 75 and 73. She was tied for 26th, with sophomore Wilma Merenmies of Raasepori, Finland, one shot back, tied for 28th at 149. Merenmies posted rounds of 75 and 74.

OC junior Alexandria Bennett of Plano, Texas shot a 75 in each round, recording an eagle on No. 12 in her opening round. She was tied for 33rd at 150. Sarah Sherrard, a freshman from Moore, posted a pair of 79s and was tied for 78th at 158.

Madeline Ananthasane of North Georgia was the individual leader at 136 (8-under).

The final round will begin at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday.