BLAINE, Wash. – With three players scoring in red numbers on Saturday, the two-time defending champion New Mexico State Aggies surged into the lead after the second round of the 2016 Western Athletic Conference Women's Championships at the Semiahmoo Country Club.
 
The Aggies posted an even-par 288 as a team in the second round to move from third in to the lead at 593. NM State is three strokes ahead of second place Seattle at 596 and 11 in front of first round leader Utah Valley at 604.
 
However it wasn't as easy as it seemed.
 
"The team got off to a rough start," said NM State head coach Jackie Booth.
 
The Aggies had a collective 12 bogeys and two double-bogeys after the first nine holes. Then a switch flipped.
 
"It was pretty exciting to see their fight and determination on the back nine," said Booth. "We had 10 birdies on the back side. I was very proud of how they responded to yesterday's round."
 
Sophomore Kennedie Montoya of Thatcher, Ariz., showed the amazing swing of the team. Montoya shot a 1-under 71 on Saturday for a 36-hole total of 1-over 145, one stroke behind Seattle U.'s Dorsey Addicks who matched the 71 for an even-par 144.
 
NM State's has two more Aggies in the top five and within four strokes of the top spot heading into the final round.
 
Montoya opened the round with five consecutive bogeys, then followed it with six birdies in her next nine holes before ending the round bogey, birdie.
 
"Kennedie made a great come back with her seven birdies today after starting out with five bogies," Booth said. "She putted extremely well."
 
NM State senior Viviana Macias of of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, the defending WAC individual champion, also matched the 1-under 71 and is tied for third at 3-over 147 with UVU's Carly Dehlin who shot a 3-over 75.
 
But the story of the day was the turnaround of Aggie junior Camille Orito from Fresno, Calif./Clovis West. Orito toured the par 72, 5,826 yard Semiahmoo CC loop in 3-under 69, the first sub-70 round in this year's championship. The round was 10 strokes better than her first round 79 and places her alone in fifth at 4-over 148.
 
Orito put up a birdie on the par 5 first hole and played par golf through the tenth. She added three birdies in the next four holes and didn't drop a stroke until a bogey on the par 4 18th.
 
"Cami had a great round," said Booth. "I'm really proud of her turnaround."
 
Junior Valeria of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, added a 5-over 77 in the second round to sit in a 14th place tie at 9-over 153. Senior Kacey Dalpes of Alamogordo, N.M., recorded a second straight 8-over 80 to total 160.
 
The Aggies play for their third straight WAC title on Sunday.
 
"We need to go out tomorrow and play like we did today," Booth said.
 
NM State again plays with Seattle and Utah Valley in the final round. The teams begin at 10:30 Mountain. Individually Montoya is paired with Addicks and Dehlin in the final group that tees off at 11:10 Mountain, while defending WAC Vivi Macias is in the 11 a.m. MT starting group and Orito in the 10:50 a.m. MT starting trio.