Dalton State battled back during the second round of the NAIA Women's Golf National Championship on Wednesday, firing a team round of (+22, 310) for the third best round of the day to move into the Top-10 on the Champions Course at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. The Roadrunners, (+63, 639), vaulted up the standings and sit in eighth.
#1 SCAD-Savannah (Ga.), (+30, 606), holds the lead by four strokes over #5 William Woods (Mo.), (+34, 610). #14 Taylor (Ind,), (+50, 626), is in third, with #3 British Columbia, (+58, 634), in fourth.
#12 Keiser (Fla.), (+60, 636), rounds out the Top-5.
All-Americans Katie Dalton and Tia Teiniketo would lead the way for the Lady Birds, combining to shoot 3-over. Starting on the back 9, Dalton would get things rolling early with a birdie at No. 14. Back-to-back bogeys at Nos. 16 & 17 would see her make the turn to the front at 1-over. She would quickly get one back with a birdie at No. 1 to get to (E). Dalton would settle into a groove with seven straight pars until hitting No. 9. She would finish out with a bogey, but still tie for the best round of the day.
Teiniketo got off to a solid start with six straight pars of her own before a bogey at No. 16 and double-bogey at No. 17 had her make the turn at 3-over. She would bogey Nos. 3 & 5, before closing strong with three birdies on her last four holes to get to 2-over on her round.
All-American Isabel Rijos would have another up-and-down round on Wednesday, shooting (+8, 80) on the day. Rijos was sitting at 4-over heading to her last two holes, but a triple-bogey, bogey finish would jump her score up the 8-over.
Sophomore Hannah Gasaway and All-American Caroline Griffin continued to struggle around the difficult Champions Course at PGA National. Neither could find a groove as Griffin carded (+11, 83), while Gasaway notched (+17, 87).
Coach Jim McGrew said of the day, "It was a great job today of doing what we needed to do. We still left too many shots out there and too many big numbers, but really proud of the way we fought back. We have 36 holes left and we need another good day tomorrow to put us where we want to be."
#2 Dalton State will tee it up again tomorrow, May 24, in the third round of the NAIA Women's Golf National Championship from PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. The Lady Roadrunners will be paired with Cumberlands (Ky.) and Texas Wesleyan and tee off hole No. 1 beginning at 7:15 a.m. (EDT).