GOLD CANYON, Ariz. — Led by a 1-under par round of 71 from Sneha Sharan, the Sacramento State women's golf team improved its team score by nine strokes during the second round of the NCAA Gold Canyon Regional on Tuesday.
 
Playing in unseasonably cool and overcast conditions, the Hornets finished the second round with a score of 298. That performance moved the team up two positions into ninth place with one round remaining.
 
Sharan had a steady start to her round, parring the first eight holes beginning with No. 10. Her first birdie came on the par-5 ninth and she quickly moved to 3-under with birdies on the par-5 second and par-4 third. Sharan finished her round by playing her final six holes at 2-over with four pars and bogeys on the par-3 fourth and eighth holes. The senior is tied for 13^th place with a 36-hole total of 2-over par. The top individual player outside of the five advancing teams will earn a berth into the NCAA National Championships.
 
Tova Hatton was inserted into the lineup prior to the second round and responded with a 2-over par round of 74. Hatton played the back nine at 1-over par with a birdie on the par-3 12^th and bogeys on Nos. 15 and 16. The freshman returned to even with a birdie on the par-5 second but later had bogeys on Nos. three and eighth.
 
Caitlin Maurice opened play on Tuesday with birdies on the par-4 10^th and 11^th. She was 1-over at the midway point of her round with bogeys on Nos. 12, 14 and 17 and rose to 3-over following bogeys on Nos. 1 and 3. Maurice birdied the par-4 fifth but immediately followed with a bogey on No. 6 and later bogeyed the par-3 eighth.
 
Florencia Dufey and Maurice are tied for 36^th overall with a two-round total of 153 (9-over). Dufey overcame a tough start which saw her bogey the first four holes (Nos. 10-13). After four pars, she birdied the par-5 18^th and 2^nd to get back to 2-over. She was 3-over on the final seven holes with bogeys on Nos. 3, 5 and 6.
 
Ella Kraft also shot 77 in the second round and is tied for 49^th overall. Kraft was even through the back nine with a birdie on the par-5 13^th and a bogey on the par-4 16^th. She began the front nine with back-to-back birdies to drop to 2-under but followed with a triple bogey on No. 3, a double bogey on the par-3 fourth and bogeys on Nos. 5 and 7.
 
Fifth-ranked Oregon moved into first place after shooting 6-under par as a team on Tuesday. The Ducks were led by Kiara Romero who was 10-under par and claimed the individual lead. Oklahoma State is the only other team below par and finds itself four shots back of Oregon. Host Arizona State is five strokes off the lead while Mississippi State (9-over) and Auburn (18-over) round out the top five. Sacramento State is 11 strokes behind Auburn for the final berth to the NCAA Championships.
 
The Hornets will play the third round with Cal and San Jose State beginning at 8:55 a.m. off the first tee.
 
NCAA GOLD CANYON REGIONAL
Gold Canyon, Ariz. | Superstition Mountain CC
Par 72 | 6,544 Yards
 
Team Standings
1. #5 Oregon 289-282-571
2. Oklahoma State 287-288-575
3. #8 Arizona State 286-290-576
4. #20 Mississippi State 291-294-585
5. #17 Auburn 289-305-594
6. Cal State Fullerton 304-292-596
7. California 303-296-599
8. San Jose State 306-295-601
9. Sacramento State 307-298-605
10. Virginia Tech 304-306-610
11. Navy 299-313-612
12. Quinnipiac 322-313-635
 
Individual Top Five
1. Kiara Romero, ORE, 7062-132
2. Patience Rhodes, ASU, 70-66-136
T3. Davina Xanh, CSF, 69-72-141
T3. Mara Solchenko, OSU, 72-69-141
T5. Anna Davis, AUB, 69-73-142
T5. Isla McDonald-O'Brien, ASU, 70-72-142
T5. Grace Kilcrease, OSU, 72-70-142
 
Sacramento State Scores
T13. Sneha Sharan 75-71-146
T36. Florencia Dufey 76-77-153
T36. Caitlin Maurice 77-76-153
T49. Ella Kraft 79-77-156
--- Darla May Dela Torre 84-SUB
--- Tova Hatton SUB-74