MESA, Ariz. - The Kirkwood men's golf team dropped a spot into ninth place at the NJCAA Division II national tournament at the Longbow Golf  Club in Arizona Thursday.

Mississippi Gulf Coast leads the tournament with a 54-hole score of 864. Kirkwood trails the leaders by 40 shots at 904 entering the final round Friday.

Jordan Even posted the top score for Kirkwood Thursday with a  2-over-par 73 and is tied for 26th in the individual standings.

TEAM STANDINGS

1. Mississippi Gulf Coast 864, 2. Mesa 866, 3. Murray State 871, 4.  Tyler 878, 5. Illinois Central 892, 6. South Mountain 896, 7.  Southeast 900, 8. Meridian 901, 9. Kirkwood 904, 10. Parkland 910. 11. Copiah-Lincoln 917, 12. Mott 929, 13. Oakland, 14. (tie) Grand Rapids 947, Iowa Central 947, 16. Black Hawk 948, 17. Walters State  954, 18. (tie) Abraham Baldwin 957, DMACC 957, 20. Waubonsee 980, 21.  Allegeny 1040.

KIRKWOOD: 26. Jordan Even 74-77-73=224, 40. Louis Flynn 72-76-79=227,  50. JD Goodfellow 80-75-75=230, 55. Niall Powell 80-73-78=231, 72. Charles Hartwig 74-84-77=235.