LITCHFIELD PARK, Ariz. — The Sacramento State women's golf team was tested during the second round of the Big Sky Women's Golf, but in the end, the Hornets were able to double their lead and will take a 10-shot advantage into the final round on Wednesday.
 
Sacramento State started the day up five strokes over Montana State but saw Northern Arizona and Weber State surge up the leaderboard in the morning pairings. MSU was able to draw within one stroke midway through the second round before the Hornets played the final seven holes at 8-under to gain some separation.
 
Helping the Hornets was senior Caitlin Maurice who shot a 3-under par round of 68 and has taken over the individual lead. Maurice bogeyed Nos. 2 and 3 but those proved to be her only missteps during the round. After two pars, she birdied the par-4 sixth and made the turn at 1-over following three more pars. She was 4-under on the back nine with birdies on the par-4 12^th and 14^th, the par-3 15^th and par-5 18^th. Her score ranks as the third-lowest by a Hornet at the Big Sky Championship.
 
Florencia Dufey ranked second on the team with a 1-under par round of 70. The sophomore picked up the first birdie of the day for the team with one on the par-3 second. After five pars, she bogeyed Nos. 8 and 9 and stood at 1-over at the midway point of the round. On the back nine, Dufey started with four pars and dropped to even with a birdie on the par-4 14^th. After three more pars, she birdied the 18^th to get to 1-under. She is tied for fifth overall with scores of 72-70-142.
 
Darla May Dela Torre is tied for third overall following a 73 on Tuesday. Dela Torre extended her first-round lead with birdies on Nos. 3-5 but encountered trouble with a quadruple bogey on the par-4 sixth as well as bogeys on Nos. 7 and 9 which took her to 3-over. Her final bogey of the round came on the par-5 10^th and she played the last eight holes at 2-under with birdies on the par-3 15^th and par-4 18^th.
 
Tova Hatton and Ella Kraft each shot 74 to account for the final team score. Hatton had four bogeys over the first eight holes but began turning her round around with a birdie on the par-3 ninth. The freshman started the second half of her round with two pars before alternating birdies and bogeys over the next six holes.
 
Kraft produced the lone eagle of the day for Sacramento State as she posted a three on the 514-yard, par-5 18^th. Her round also consisted of two birdies, three bogeys and a pair of double bogeys.
 
Sacramento State is 1-under par as a team through the first two rounds. Montana State remains in second place at 9-over while Northern Arizona (14-over), Weber State (19-over) and Montana (26-over) complete the top five.
 
Maurice leads the individual standings at 3-under par but is being chased by Montana State's Maddie Montoya (2-under). Dela Torrey is tied for third along with MSU's Lauren Greeny at 1-under while Dufey and NAU's Amy Hodgkins are tie for fifth at even par.
 
The final round of the Big Sky Championship will start at 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday. The Hornets will get underway from the first tee beginning at 8:40 a.m. The winning team of the tournament earns an automatic berth to an NCAA Regional.
 
BIG SKY WOMEN'S GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP
Litchfield Park, Ariz. | Wigwam GC
Par 71 | 5,948 Yards
 
Team Standings
1. Sacramento State 282-285-567
2. Montana State 297-290-577
3. Northern Arizona 297-285-582
4. Weber State 301-286-587
5. Montana 295-299-594
T6. Idaho 298-301-599
T6. Northern Colorado 302-297-599
8. Portland State 303-302-605
9. Eastern Washington 300-308-608
10. Idaho State 304-317-621
 
Individual Top Five
1. Caitlin Maurice, SAC, 71-68-139
2. Maddie Montoya, MSU, 70-70-140
T3. Darla May Dela Torre, SAC, 68
T3. Lauren Greeny, MSU, 72-69-141
T5. Florencia Dufey, SAC, 72-70-142
T5. Amy Hodgkins, NAU, 72-70-142
 
Sacramento State Scores
1. Caitlin Maurice 71-68-139
T3. Darla May Dela Torre 68-73-141
T5. Florencia Dufey 72-70-142
9. Tova Hatton 71-74-145
18. Ella Kraft 75-74-149