SHOAL CREEK, Ala. – The New Mexico State Aggies struggled during the second round of the NCAA Shoal Creek Regional Friday at the Shoal Creek Country Club, falling to 10th in the field.
 
NM State posted a 318 for the round for a two-round total of 621. The Aggies are still only seven strokes behind No. 16 California who is in sixth – the final qualifying spot for the NCAA national tournament.
 
The Aggies are two strokes in front of No. 40 Notre Dame in 11th at 623 and three strokes out of a tie for eighth between No. 41 Vanderbilt and No. 47 Clemson at 618. No. 50 Michigan is seventh at 616.
 
The Aggies are the highest non-ranked team through two rounds and hold an advantage over four Top 50 squads.
 
"We had a very up and down round for the team," said NM State head coach Jackie Booth. "We made lots of birdies, but we also gave them back with too many big numbers."
 
"We'll have to play one of our best rounds of the year to beat the teams ahead of us, but we have consistently had our best round on the third day."
 
The Aggies were led on the day by junior Valeria Macias of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, who played the par 72, 6,470-yard Shoal Creek course in 5-over-par 77. After going 3-over on the front nine with two double bogeys, two birdies and a bogey, Vale played the back side pretty even with bogeys at the 12th and 18th holes.
 
Aggie junior Camille Orito from Fresno, Calif./Clovis West, struggled down the stretch to post a 6-over 78. Orito was at 2-over through 15, but came down the stretch with a double bogey and two bogeys to finish the day.
 
After entering the round tied for fourth individually, senior Viviana Macias of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, suffered, particularly on the front nine. Macias was 6-over at the turn and finished with a 9-over par 81.
 
The Macias sisters and Orito are all at 10-over 154, tied for 31st.
 
NM State also got a setback from sophomore Kennedie Montoya of Thacker, Ariz., who faltered on the back nine to record team-counting 82 for a 159 total. Senior Kacey Dalpes of Alamogordo, N.M., battled the course as well, finishing with an 83 for a 36-hole total of 160.
 
The regional is led by No. 8 Northwestern who posted a team round of 6-over 294 to lead at 590, six strokes better than No. 22 Florida State in second at 596. No. 9 Oklahoma State is third at 598, with No. 1 Alabama moving up three spots to fourth at 606. No. 25 Tennessee dropped to fifth at 611, while Cal has the sixth spot at 614.
 
Individually, Florida State's Matilda Castren and Northwestern's Kacie Komoto share the lead at 1-over 145. Castren fired a 1-under 71 in the second round, while Komoto was at 1-over 73. Cal's Marianne Li and Oklahoma State's Linnea Johansson are tied for third at 2-over 146.
 
The top six teams in the region qualify for the NCAA Championships at the Eugene Country Club on May 20-25 in Eugene, Ore. The top three individuals not a part of a qualifying team will also advance.
 
"I am proud how well this team has played this year," said Booth. "We're just seven shots out and anything is possible. Tomorrow will be exciting day and a true test of our will to win."
 
The final round of the Shoal Creek Regional is Saturday, with the Aggies playing with Notre Dame and Middle Tennessee. The group will start off the 10th tee beginning at 8:30 a.m. Mountain.