DeLAND â€" Needing to make up 14 strokes in order to reach the coveted fifth spot in the field, Florida Southern picked up a few early in the day and eventually moved up in the standings, but the defending national champions were in 16th place at the South/Southeast Super Regional.

The Moccasins had been tied with Nova Southeastern entering the second round, and both teams were playing in the final groups of the day. By the time the first Moccasin golfer got on the course early in the afternoon, the Mocs had already picked up three strokes, and Monday’s fifth-place team, Delta State (MS) had limped to the finish line with a +17 (305). However, several other teams made a move on Tuesday as well, including Barry, which shot a three-under par 285 to go from sixth place to first, and the net result actually left the Mocs with a greater deficit at the end of round two than they’d had when play started.

The Buccaneers were two strokes ahead of 2nd-place Lynn, with Barton (NC) in third, four strokes back. Newberry was in fourth place, five strokes behind, Barry and West Florida was fifth, trailing by seven strokes. Other Sunshine State Conference schools in the tournament are Florida Tech (7th), Nova (17th) and Rollins (19th).

Florida Southern bettered its score from Monday with a 303, led by Jude Eustaquio’s even par 72, and a 75 from Lee White. Shelton Smith and Tim Crouch were the Mocs’ other two counters with scores of 77 and 79. Shane Convery shot an 81 that wasn’t used in the team scoring, but finished strong with back-to-back birdies on 17 and 18.

Lynn’s Ricardo Gouveia, who shared the individual lead with Peter Tarver Jones of Belmont Abbey at the end of round one, was in first place alone at the end of round two. He followed his 67 with a 74, giving him a total of three-under par 141. That was one stroke better than teammate Jose Joia, who had the round of the day with a 69, and a pair of Barton golfers who were at -2. Jones was tied for fifth, two strokes behind Gouveia after shooting a 76 on Tuesday.

Eustaquio was Florida Southern’s top golfer with a two-day total of two-over par 146 (74-72), putting him in a tie for 17th place.

The final round of the South/Southeast Super Regional begins Wednesday morning at 7:30 a.m., at Victoria Hills Golf Club.