BARTLESVILLE, Oklahoma - The Houston Christian women's golf team wrapped up the first day of the Lady Clerico at Hillcrest Country Club in Bartlesville sitting in third place at +12, with rounds of +4 and +8. Southern Mississippi holds second at +4, while Abilene Christian leads the field at +3. Just behind the Huskies, Northern Colorado is fourth at +13, setting up a tight leaderboard heading into the final round.

The Huskies were led by sophomore Natcha Makmanee, who is in fifth place individually at -1 through 36 holes. She opened with a steady 73 (+1), carding an early birdie on the par-4 second before giving shots back on the front nine. She settled down after the turn, stringing together consistent pars to finish the day at +1. In Round 2, she bounced back with a 70 (-2), highlighted by birdies on holes 1, 6, 13, and 16. Her five total birdies on the day helped her move under par for the tournament at 143 (-1).

Just one stroke behind, sophomore Alyssa Stewart sits in sixth at even par (144). Stewart opened with an impressive 69 (-3), making birdies on holes 5, 7, 8, 9, 12, and 13, while giving back only two bogeys. Her five birdies on the day carried her to the Huskies' lowest round. The second round proved tougher, as she struggled through a front-nine stretch that included bogeys on four of five holes. She recovered with birdies on 13 and 18 to close with a 75 (+3), remaining well inside the top 10.

Freshman Sara Pihlajamäki sits tied for 22nd after rounds of 74 (+2) and 75 (+3). She overcame a difficult start in her opening round, which included a double bogey on the par-5 ninth, by storming back with birdies at 14 and 16 and an eagle at the par-3 17th to shoot 34 (-2) on the back nine. In Round 2, she carded a birdie on the par-3 third and added another at 12, but dropped shots around the turn and on 15 and 16 to finish at +3 for the day and +5 overall.

Junior Serena Churchill recorded back-to-back rounds of 76 (+4) to sit in 31st at +8. In Round 1, she turned in 37 on the front despite a string of bogeys from holes 3–7, before finishing with a 39 on the back. The following day, she again went out in 38, this time offsetting bogeys with a birdie on the first hole and another on the par-3 12th, closing with 38 to match her opening score.

Rounding out the Huskies' lineup, senior Hailey Hendershott sits at +16 after rounds of 81 and 79. She struggled with a challenging front nine in the opening round but steadied her game on the inward side. In Round 2, she opened with a birdie on the first hole and played a more consistent front nine in 38, though she dropped strokes late to close with a 79.

The Lady Clerico will conclude tomorrow with the final round beginning at 8:30 a.m. Natcha Makmanee will tee off in Group 1B alongside Abilene Christian's Maddi Kamas and Southern Mississippi's Taylor Trible. Sara Pihlajamäki will also begin at 8:30, paired with ACU's Maddi Kamas and USM's Taylor Trible. Serena Churchill will follow in Group 2, while Alyssa Stewart tees off in Group 3, and Hailey Hendershott closes for HCU in Group 4.