LINCOLN, Neb. Following 22-over par 310 to place 10th during the first round of the season, the Kansas State women’s golf team shaved five strokes off its total in round two and sit just eight strokes out of the top five as the Wildcats finished Monday in ninth place at the Chip-N-Club Invitational.

The Wildcats carded a 17-over 305 during the second round, giving them a 36-hole total of 39-over par 615 heading into Tuesday’s final round. K-State boasts a traveling a roster that includes three players who are competing in their first collegiate tournament at the par-72, 6,068-yard Wilderness Ridge Golf Course.

Arkansas-Little Rock broke away from the field on day one as ULAR leads the field at 16-over par 592 (292-300). Host school Nebraska is right on the Trojans’ heels, however, as the Huskers finished Monday at 17-over 593.

Mary Kate Bird of Nebraska leads all individuals after carding a 2-under par 142 on Monday, thanks in part to a first-round score of 2-under par 70. Arkansas-Little Rock’s Sara Wikstrom sits at 1-under par 143 after carding the lowest round of the first day, a 3-under 69 during the first 18 holes. UC Riverside’s Jennifer Bermingham will begin final-round play in third as she completed the first day of competition at even par 144 (74-70).

Sophomore Elise Houtz and junior Abbi Sunner paced the Wildcats on Monday as each carded a 10-over 154 to sit in a tie for 22nd heading into Tuesday’s final round.  Houtz tallied K-State’s lowest round of the day, a 3-over 75 during round one.

Freshmen Laura Hildebrant and Paige Osterloo finished the first 36 holes tied for 33rd after an 11-over par 155. Ami Storey, another freshman, sits in a tie for 41st as she carded a 12-over 156 on Monday.

Sophomore Emily Houtz, competing as an individual, is tied for 52nd at 15-over par 159.

The final round of the Chip-N-Club Invitational is set for an 8:30 a.m. shotgun start on Tuesday. Live scoring remains available by logging on to www.golfstat.com. Complete results for the invitational will be posted on www.k-statesports.com as soon as they are made available.

Chip-N-Club Invitational

Lincoln, Neb.

Wilderness Ridge Golf Course

Par 72 / 6,068  yards

Team Scores: 1. Arkansas-Little Rock, 292-300592 (+16); 2. Nebraska, 298-295593 (+17); 3. East Carolina, 301-299600 (+60); 4. UC Riverside, 308-295603 (+27); 5. Drake, 303-304607 (+31); 6. Texas State, 307-301608 (+32); 7. Nebraska (B), 299-311610 (+34); 8. Kansas, 306-306612 (+36); 9. K-State, 310-305615 (+39); 10. Illinois, 314-304618 (+42); 11. UMKC, 309-311620 (+44); 12. South Dakota State, 318-313631 (+55); 13. Creighton, 329-323652 (+76).

Top Individuals: 1. Mary Katie, Nebraska, 70-72142 (-2); 2. Sara Wikstrom, Arkansas-Little Rock, 69-74143 (-1); 3. Jennifer Bermingham, UC Riverside, 74-70144 (E); 4. Olivia Lansing, Drake, 72-73145 (+1); 5. Amber Littman, East Carolina, 74-72146 (+2).

K-State Individuals: T28. Elise Houtz, 75-79154 (+10); T28. Abbi Sunner, 77-77154 (+10); T33. Laura Hildebrandt, 79-76155 (+11); T33. Paige Osterloo, 80-75155 (+11); T41. Ami Storey, 79-77156 (+12); T52. Emily Houtz*, 81-78159 (+15).