KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Low rounds by freshman Taylor Newlin and sophomore Paola Valerio on Saturday helped vault the UTSA women's golf team into 10th place following a second-day 294 at the Mercedes-Benz Collegiate Championships.
All five Roadrunners improved their scores from the first round, helping the team better its score by 11 strokes for a two-day total of 599 (305-294).
Newlin led the way for the second day in a row with a three-under-par 69, the lowest of her short career and one shy of the school record set a year ago by Valerio and Shelly Martinez. Starting on the back-nine, Newlin sat at two-over par through four holes, but the Frisco native got back to even-par with birdies on Nos. 14 and 17. She had little trouble with the front nine, carding birdies on the second, eighth and ninth holes. Her 36-hole total of 142 (73-69) puts her in a tie for sixth place on the individual leaderboard.
Meanwhile, Valerio sits tied for 15th with a 146 (74-72) after shooting an even-par 72. Like Newlin, she started her round at two-over par before birdies on Nos. 18 and 3 brought her back to even par.
Junior Summer Batiste improved by a stroke to finish the day tied for 46th with a 153 (77-76). Her lone birdie of the day came on the 15th hole. Freshman Fabiola Arriaga sits tied for 65th with a 158 (81-77). She used a birdie on No. 17 to help better her score by four strokes, but the biggest improvement of the day came from freshman Chelsea Bretcher, who used three birdies to jump up to 75th with a 161 (83-78).
Tennessee continues to lead the field with a 564 (280-284) with Erica Popson sitting atop the individual leaderboard at 136 (67-69).
The tournament concludes on Sunday.
