MUSCLE SHOALS, Ala. – Paced by freshman Derek Oland's 2-over-par 74 in the final round, the Midwestern State Mustangs finished fourth in a strong field at the University of North Alabama Spring Classic on Tuesday at the Fightin' Joe Course of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at the Shoals.
 
Oland finished with a 3-over 219 for the tournament to finish in a sixth place tie.
 
He spurred the Mustangs to a 294 on the day and a fourth place 889 tournament.  Host North Alabama won the team title with a 5-under 859.  MSU was just four strokes behind Wilmington (Dela.) who placed second with an 885 and three behind Huntingdon (Ala.) at 886.   MSU was two better than Northern Kentucky, 10 ahead of Missouri-St. Louis and held a double-digit stroke advantage over Cameron, Central Missouri and the rest of the 17 team field.
 
"We played three solid rounds against a great field on a super course," said Coach Jeff Ray.  "We were hurt by not getting a quality fourth score."
 
The Mustangs Sam Smith, who was tied with Oland in fifth after the first two rounds, ballooned to a 7-over 79 in the final round for an 8-over 224 for the tournament to tie for 23rd.
 
Jeremy LeGuen followed his second round 71 with a third round score of 2-under-70 to tie for 31st at 10-over 226.  Raine Copeland fired a 1-over 73 to finish at 228, with Brett Perry posting a 5-over 77 to finish at 235.
 
"Derek put together another impressive tournament," Ray began.  "Sam played well except for the back nine in today's round.  Jeremy had two great rounds including today's."
 
"Several of the guys will come out of this one with confidence, by playing well in different rounds.  We just have to string 'em all together."
 
North Alabama's Ricky Stimets scorched the course, firing a 4-under 68 in the final round to win the individual honors going away at 11-under 205.  Joe Migdal of Central Missouri was second at 2-under 214, with UNA's Tyler Chandler finishing at 1-under 215 in third.
        
 

North Alabama Spring Classic
Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail -- Fighting Joe Course Muscle Shoals, Ala. Par-72, 7,126 yards
Team Leaderboard
Place	Team	Round Scores	Total	To Par
1	North Alabama	287-286-286	859	-5
2	Wilmington (Dela.)	299-288-298	885	+21
3	Huntingdon College	304-292-290	886	+22
4	Midwestern State	297-298-294	889	+25
5	Northern Kentucky	299-307-285	891	+27
6	Missouri-St. Louis	307-299-293	899	+35
7	Cameron (Okla.)	297-301-304	902	+38
8	Central Missouri	303-309-294	906	+42
9	Delta State (Miss.)	308-304-299	911	+47
	Tennessee Tech	306-304-301	911	+47
11	Central Alabama CC	303-304-310	917	+53
12	Concord University	303-313-311	927	+63
13	Tampa (Fla.)	307-300-326	933	+69
14	Wallace State CC	313-316-306	935	+71
15	William Carey	325-317-299	941	+77
16	New Orleans	330-314-330	974	+110
17	Martin Methodist	328-322-332	982	+118
Individual Leaderboard
Place	Player, Team	Round Scores	Total	To Par
1	Ricky Stimets, North Alabama	67-70-68	205	-11
2	Joe Migdal, Central Missouri	71-72-71	214	-2
3	Tyler Chandler, North Alabama	73-69-73	215	-1
4	Paul Tighe, Wilmington	75-71-72	218	+2
	Thomas Mitchell, Huntingdon	75-70-73	218	+2
6	Derek Oland, Midwestern State	68-77-74	219	+3
	Tyler Ekenberg, North Alabama	75-74-70	219	+3
8	Joe Atkisson, Missouri-St. Louis	78-70-72	220	+4
	Trey Lawson, Cameron	73-74-73	220	+4
	Jamey Lester, Huntingdon	71-73-76	220	+4
	Corey Richmond, Northern Kentucky	74-75-71	220	+4
	Michael Schmidt, Northern Kentucky	77-72-71	220	+4
	Graham Byron, North Alabama	78-70-72	220	+4
Midwestern State Scorecard
4	Midwestern State	297-298-294	889	+25
6t	Derek Oland	68-77-74	219	+3
23t	Sam Smith	71-74-79	224	+8
31t	Jeremy LeGuen	85-71-70	226	+10
42t	Raine Copeland	79-76-73	228	+12
60t	Brett Perry	79-79-77	235	+19