DALLAS – The New Mexico State Aggies struggled on the front nine during first round play in the morning, but came back in second round action in the afternoon at the Dallas Athletic Club/SMU Invitational Friday.
 
The Aggies posted a 311 in the first round, and recovered for a 304 in the second to stand 13th at 615 after day one. NM State is three strokes behind No. 35 TCU at 612 in 12th and seven in front of Central Arkansas in 14th at 622.
 
The Aggies are five strokes out of the top 10 and 11 strokes away from the top five in the tightly bunched middle of the field.
 
NM State opened on the back side of the par 72, 6,159-yard DAC Blue Course in the shotgun start, and made the turn in the first round in good shape. But the front side had five of the toughest playing holes on day one, and the Aggies scores took a hit.
 
The Aggies were paced by the Macias sisters from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. Both senior Viviana and junior Valeria opened with 5-over-par 77s in morning action. In the afternoon Vivi added a 2-over 74 for a 7-over 151, tied for 24th and one stroke out of the top 20. Vale carded a 4-over 76 to total 9-over 153 to sit in a tie for 34th.
 
Sophomore Kennedie Montoya of Thatcher, Ariz., made the two loops at 155 with rounds of 6-over 78 and 5-over 77. Junior Camille Orito from Fresno, Calif./Clovis West, collected a 7-over 79 in the first round and closed with a 5-over 77 in the second for a 156. Senior Kacey Dalpes of Alamogordo, N.M., shot a pair of 79s for a 158.
 
Playing as an individual, junior Kristen Cline of Socorro, N.M., put up a 157, with rounds of 79 and 78.
 
No. 10 Oklahoma State holds the team lead after day one at 2-over 578, with No. 18 UNLV second at 596 and No. 13 Washington at 598.
 
Individually, Kansas' Yupaporn Kawinpakorn has a six-stroke lead at 7-under 137. Kawinpakorn shot a 2-under 70 in round one, then fired a 5-under 67 in the second. OSU's Emma Broze is second at 1-under 143, with a three-way tie for third at even-par 144.
 
The tournament concludes on Saturday with a single 18-hole round that shotgun starts at 7 a.m. Mountain time. The Aggies will play with Central Arkansas and Florida International in the 16-team field that features eight top 50 teams.