KANSASVILLE, WIS.—The venue was new but the results familiar for red-hot Central College women's golfer Mackenzie Biggs (senior, Bloomington, Ill., Normal HS), who again bolted to the top of the leaderboard at the Midwest Region Classic
           
Biggs, whose worst score this fall was a 77, had a pair of birdies to go with 12 pars and shot 74 in her first look at the par-72 Brighton Dale Links and is tied for first in the 194-player field.
           
"Mackenzie said she wasn't striking the ball the greatest but she was putting it in good spots and made some putts," coach Tabitha Schumacher said. "She was scrambling and scoring well, which is huge to get from our number one player."
           
But Central was ninth of 33 teams in the oversized tourney with 331. Adrian College (Mich.) shot 317 and holds a one-stroke lead over the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and St. Mary's College (Ind.). American Rivers foe the University of Dubuque is tied for fourth with Hope College (Mich.) at 323.
           
"It was a mental grind out there," Schumacher said. "There was a delay from the start and then it was over a 6-hour round. As we were finishing up it was getting a little dark."
           
Peyton Bytnar (senior, Bettendorf) continued her recent improvement, notching a pair of front-nine birdies and posting a 78 to share 10th place.
           
"Peyton played solid all day," Schumacher said.
           
But Lydia Grond (junior, Hull, Boyden-Hull HS) slipped to 85 while Rachel Sohn (senior, Sutherland, South O'Brien HS) and Avery Woods (senior, Long Grove, North Scott HS) each shot 90.
           
"Lydia just had a couple of bad holes," Schumacher said. "And I think it was just never each to get into a groove at all. You're kind of stopping and starting all the time. I think that had a little to do with it."
           
Playing as at-large entrants, Parker Stout (junior, Lowden, North Cedar HS) shot 84 and Jaden Smith (sophomore, Marengo, Iowa Valley HS) had 94.
           
It was the first time any of the Central players have seen the course.
           
"We just saw what we saw online and we kind of talked through some things," Schumacher said. "It's not playing very long. We're playing it at just under 5,700 yards. You've just got to play smart and keep it safe. And that's what Mackenzie (Biggs) did."
           
The field is split into two waves and the Dutch finish the 36-hole tournament Saturday with the early wave which has an 8:30 a.m. shotgun start. The second wave commences at 1:30 p.m.
           
"We've got one more day and we're not quite out of it," Schumacher said. "We've got two scores at the top and I know there are players on our team who feel like they can play better. I still think we can climb the leaderboard tomorrow."