W. Golf Takes Over the Lead at MW Championship

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. – With three players among the individual top six, the San Diego State women's golf team climbed into lead at the 2019 Mountain West Championship on Tuesday after shooting a collective 7-over-par 295 during the second round at Mission Hills Country Club.

With their total, the Aztecs took over the top spot with a 36-hole score of 22-over 598, forging a nine-shot advantage over San José State (+31), which slipped into the second position after posting a 20-over 308.

Also lurking is Nevada (+32), which sits in third place, followed closely by UNLV (+33) and Fresno State (+37) heading into Wednesday's final round on the par-72, 6,240-yard Dinah Shore Tournament Course.

Individually, Fernanda Escauriza (Asunción, Paraguay) moved up one spot into second place at 1-over 145 after firing an even-par 72. The SDSU sank three birdies on the front nine, including an impressive conversion on the par-4, 346-yard No. 6, which ranks as the fourth-toughest hole of the week. After another drain on the par-4 No. 6, the 2017 MW champion reeled off eight consecutive pars before enduring a pair of bogeys on the 16th and 18th greens.

Despite the hiccup, Escauriza remains four shots behind Fresno State's Brigitte Thibault (-3), who carded a 70 as one of just two players to break par on Tuesday, along with the Aztecs' Sara Kjellker (Hollviken, Sweden).

Kjellker made one of the biggest gains on the leaderboard after posting the low round of the tournament thus far with a 69. Thanks to a team-high six birdies, the Aztec sophomore vaulted 13 places into the fourth position at 3-over 147, where she finds herself one shot in back of San José State's Natasha Andrea Oon (+2). Among her drains was a successful make on the par-5 18th, which offset the last of her three bogeys at No. 17.

In addition, Gioia Carpinelli (Boppelsen, Switzerland) displayed upward mobility on Tuesday, jumping six places into a tie for sixth at 6-over 150 on the heels of a 74. After recording her second straight double bogey on the par-4 sixth, the Aztec sophomore played spot-free golf the rest of the way, highlighted by birdies at the par-4 No. 7 and the par-5 No. 9. With her performance, Carpinelli remains two strokes behind UNLV's Polly Mack (+4) for fifth place, along with SJSU's Abegail Arevalo and Boise State's Tara Finigan.

Daniela Anastasi (La Jolla, Calif.) also figured in SDSU's second-round total despite shooting an 80. The La Jolla High alumna was even through nine holes with the help of a birdie at the par-4 No. 7 to counter a previous bogey on the par-4 third. However, the Aztec senior struggled after the turn, notching just two pars against six bogeys and one double bogey. Still, Anastasi moved up one spot into a tie for 34th at 18-over 162.  

On the flip side, Kitty Tam (Hong Kong, China) was the lone SDSU player to lose ground on Tuesday, slipping into a tie for 22nd at 13-over 157 after logging a second-round 81. The Aztec senior found birdies elusive while suffering from a rash of seven bogeys, including her three on her finishing holes.

San Diego State will be aiming for its second Mountain West title in program history after winning in 2015. The Aztecs will tee off for the final round on Wednesday, starting at 8:30 a.m. PT, alongside San José State and Nevada once again. A live scoring link, courtesy of Golfstat, will be available on GoAztecs.com.
 
2019 MW Championship
Rancho Mirage, Calif.
Round Two Results
Mission Hills C.C.
Dinah Shore Tournament Course
Par 72, 6,270 yards
 
Team Standings (9 schools)
1. San Diego State...303-295—598 (+22)
2. San José State...299-308—607 (+31)
3. Nevada...305-303—608 (+32)
4. UNLV...310-299—609 (+33)
5. Fresno State...313-300—613 (+37)
6. Boise State...313-310—623 (+47)
7. Wyoming...313-319—632 (+56)
8. New Mexico...318-317—635 (+59)
9. Colorado State...321-319—640 (+64)
 
Individual Leaders (Top 5 of 45 players + SDSU)       
1. Brigitte Thibault, Fresno State...71-70—141 (-3) 
2. Fernanda Escauriza, SDSU...73-72—145 (+1)
3. Natasha Andrea Oon, San José State...72-74—146 (+2) 
4. Sara Kjellker, SDSU...78-69—147 (+3)
5. Polly Mack, UNLV...74-74—148 (+4) 
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T6. Gioia Carpinelli, SDSU...76-74—150 (+6)
T22. Kitty Tam, SDSU...76-81—157 (+13)
T35. Daniela Anastasi, SDSU...82-80—162 (+18)