ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The San Diego State women's golf team remains in a tie for fourth place after firing a collective 3-over-par 579 on Monday during the first two rounds of the Branch Law Firm Dick McGuire Invitational at UNM Championship Course.
With their totals (285-294), the Aztecs and Iowa State find themselves 10 shots behind front-running Pepperdine (-7), while Kent State (-6) and Ole Miss (-5) occupy the second and third spots, respectively, heading into Tuesday's final round on the par-72, 6,317-yard layout.
SDSU boasts three players among the individual top 25, including Gioia Carpinelli (Boppelsen, Switzerland), who shot a 5-under 139 to finish the day in a tie for second, along with Indiana's Priscilla Schmid and Rei Nakatani of UC Davis.
In the morning round, Carpinelli recorded a career-best 6-under 66, sinking eight birdies against one bogey, including impressive conversions at the par-4, 336-yard 15th and her finishing hole at the par-4, 386-yard No. 6, which ranked among the five most difficult greens of the day. With her card, the Aztec junior tied for third in program history for lowest 18-hole score.
Carpinelli was unable to maintain that scintillating pace in the afternoon, however, draining two additional birdies en route to a second-round 73. The Swiss native still demonstrated remarkable consistency with a steady diet of 14 pars, but it wasn't enough to ease the sting of a double bogey on the 15th hole and a subsequent bogey at No. 16. Despite the hiccup, she remains just two shots behind Pepperdine's Alexa Melton (-7).
Sara Kjellker (Hollviken, Sweden) also enjoyed a hot start with a 3-under 69 in the first round, highlighted by four birdies, including a successful drain on her final green at the par-4, 370-yard No. 5, which ranked as the fifth-toughest hole of the day. However, the SDSU junior stumbled to 75 in the afternoon, dropping nine places into a tie for 14th at even-par 144. Despite 13 pars and a birdie on the par-3 eighth, a rash of four bogeys proved too much to overcome.
Conversely, Fernanda Escauriza (Ascunción, Paraguay) displayed tremendous upward mobility, vaulting 26 places into a tie for 25th at 3-over 147 on the heels of a second-round 72. The Aztec senior offset three bogeys with a trio of birdies, including an impressive make on the par-4, 397-yard No. 2, which ranked as the second-most difficult hole of the day. Escauriza also sank two birdies earlier in the morning, but had to settle for a 75 after witnessing a plague of five bogeys, including four on her front nine.
Elsewhere, fellow classmate Daniela Anastasi (La Jolla, Calif.) finished the first 36 holes in a tie for 41st at 5-over 149 after posting rounds of 75-74. The La Jolla High alumna experienced the same fate as Escauriza in round one, carding two birdies against five bogeys, including a successful conversion on the par-4, 342-yard No. 4, before closing with three straight pars. Despite five more bogeys in the afternoon, however, Anastasi still managed to climb 10 places in the standings, thanks to three birdies on the No. 15, No. 3 and No. 5 greens.
Rounding out the SDSU starting five was Bernice Olivarez Ilas (Ayala Alabang, Philippines), who shot an 8-over 152 on two rounds of 76 to finish the day in a tie for 62nd. The Aztec freshman endured four straight bogeys on her front nine before sinking four birdies over a five-hole stretch on Nos. 14-18. Olivarez Ilas was unable to replicate the feat after the turn, however, suffering a bogey on the second green, followed by a bogey at No. 3. She came back with two more birdies in the afternoon, but four bogeys and another double stymied her advance.
Kansas State transfer Ella Adams (Adelaide, Australia) also made her Scarlet and Black debut as an individual competitor, firing a 5-over 149 to complete the first 36 holes in a tie for 41st. The Aztec junior, who made three birdies in round one, including back-to-back makes on the 18th and No. 1 greens, carded a 74 before ending with a 75.
San Diego State will tee off alongside Iowa State and Mississippi State for the final round of the Branch/McGuire Invitational on Tuesday, commencing with a shotgun start at 7:30 a.m. MT/6:30 a.m. PT.
Branch/McGuire Invitational
Day One Results
Albuquerque, N.M.
UNM Championship South Course
Par 72, 6,317 yards
Team Standings (Top 5 of 15 schools)
1. Pepperdine...280-289—569 (-7)
2. Kent State...283-287—570 (-6)
3. Ole Miss...283-288—571 (-5)
T4. San Diego State...285-294—579 (+3)
5. Iowa State...286-293—579 (+3)
Individual Leaders (Top 8 of 86 players + SDSU)
1. Alexa Melton, Pepperdine...70-67—137 (-7)
T2. Gioia Carpinelli, SDSU...66-73—139 (-5)
T2. Rei Nakatani, UC Davis...69-70—139 (-5)
T2. Priscilla Schmid, Indiana...71-68—139 (-5)
T5. Mary Parsons, Indiana...73-68—141 (-3)
T5. Pimnipa Panthong, Kent State...72-69—141 (-3)
T5. Karoline Stormo, Kent State...68-73—141 (-3)
T5. Caley McGinty, Kent State...72-69—141 (-3)
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T14. Sara Kjellker, SDSU...69-75—144 (E)
T25. Fernanda Escauriza, SDSU...75-72—147 (+3)
T41. Daniela Anastasi, SDSU...75-74—149 (+5)
T41. Ella Adams, SDSU^...74-75—149 (+5)
T62. Bernice Olivarez Ilas, SDSU...76-76—152 (+8)
^ - Competing as an individual
Gioia Carpinelli Leads Aztecs on Day One in New Mexico
