ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — With the help of four under-par rounds, the Sacramento State women's golf enjoyed its best start to a season in program history and sits in first place after the first day of the Branch Law Firm/McGuire Invitational on Monday. The Hornets were 7-under during the first round which is tied for the fifth-lowest in school history for a first round and best to start a season. Sacramento State followed with a 6-over par team total in the second round and will take a four-shot lead into the final round on Tuesday.

Ella Kraft is tied for first place after shooting 70-69-139. After starting on the seventh hole, Kraft was 1-over through nine with a bogey on the par-4 10th and eight pars. She returned to even with a birdie on the par-4 17th and added birdies on Nos. 1 and 3 before closing with four pars. She continued to roll into the second round with a birdie on No. 8. Birdies on Nos. 10 and 13 dropped her to 5-under on the day. Her only bogey of the second round came on the par-4 15th but was equalized by a birdie on the par-3 third.

Darla May Dela Torre is five shots off the lead following rounds of 70-74. Dela Torre bogeyed her first three holes of the day before running off birdies on Nos. 13, 15, 17, 18, 1 and 2 to get to 3-under. Her streak was snapped with a bogey on the par-3 third and was trailed by five pars to end the round. In the afternoon, she had birdies on Nos. 10 and 19 and bogeys on Nos. 9, 15, 17 and 6 to finish at 2-over.

Tova Hatton posted rounds of 70-75-145 and is tied for seventh place. Hatton also had a tough start in the morning with a bogey on her first hole (No. 7) and a double bogey on the par-4 10th. She remained at 3-over before birdying Nos. 17, 18, 2, 4 and 5 to become the third Hornet to finish at 2-under in the first round. Hatton's was 3-over in the second round with three birdies and six bogeys.

The top score from a newcomer for Sacramento State belonged to Jocelyn Tseng who shot 72-74-146 and is tied for 14th place while playing as an individual. Tseng had a steady start to her collegiate career with two birdies and two bogeys in the opening round. She added two birdies and four bogeys in the afternoon.

Fellow freshman Sophia Lee is one stroke back of Tseng and completed the team total in both rounds. Lee birdied her final two holes of the first round (Nos. 8 and 9) to get to 1-under. During the round she had four birdies and two bogeys. Lee added a birdie and five bogeys in the second round.

The third round will have a shotgun start at 6:30 a.m. PT. The Hornets will be paired with South Alabama and Cal State Fullerton and begin on Nos. 1-3.

BRANCH LAW FIRM/DICK MAGUIRE INVITATIONAL
Albuquerque, N.M | UNM Championship GC
Par 72 | 6,354 Yards

Team Scores
1. SACRAMENTO STATE 281-294-575
2. South Alabama 293-286-579
3. Cal State Fullerton 294-289-583
4. Long Beach State 297-290-587
5. Montana State 297-294-591
6. Northern Arizona 298-295-593
7. New Mexico 296-300-596
8. UNLV 297-302-599
9. BYU 299-301-600
10. Washington State 301-300-601
11. Mercer 299-305-605
12. Cal Poly 295-312-607
T13. Fresno State 304-306-610
T13. UTEP 302-308-610
15. Southern Miss 310-310-620

Individual Top Five
T1. Ella Kraft, SAC, 70-69-139
T1. Foong Zi Yu, UNLV, 69-70-139
T1. Emma Kang, LBSU, 71-68-139
4. Anna Behnsen, USA, 73-70-143
T5. Darla May Dela Torre 70-74-144
T5. Katharina Zeilinger, CSF, 73-71-144

Sacramento State Scores
T1. Ella Kraft 70-69-139
T5. Darla May Dela Torre 70-74-144
T7. Tova Hatton 70-75-145
T14. Jocelyn Tseng 72-74-146*
T19. Sophia Lee 71-76-147
T34. Florencia Dufey 73-77-150
T39. Ashley Koga 72-79-151*