RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. – The Cowgirls had to navigate an unforgiving emotional bunker before teeing off in the second round of the Credit Union 1 Mountain West Women's Golf Championship on Tuesday at the Dinah Shore Tournament Course at Mission Hills Country Club.
 
Wyoming's most experienced player and team leader, Kyla Wilde, was scratched due to illness. The senior shot 74 in the opening round and is questionable for the final 18 holes on Thursday.
 
Head coach Josey Stender's reconfigured lineup struggled without Wilde, finishing 24 over par to slip from eighth to ninth in the team standings.
 
"Kyla's our best player and without her we were still hanging in," Stender said. "But it's really tough relying on two freshmen who have not experienced this before."
 
Junior Grace Dunkleberger bounced back from her 81 (+9) on Tuesday to lead the Cowgirls with a 76 in windy conditions on the par-72, 6,286- yard course.
 
"Props to Grace," Stender said. "She's a really tough kid, and we needed that."
 
Freshmen Lucia Morelli and Kira Reisner shot 78 and 79, respectively, and senior Meghan Vogt carded a 79 to round out the scoring for UW.
 
The Cowgirls enter their final 18 holes of the season four shots behind San Diego State and five shots behind Fresno State.
 
Reigning champion San Jose State leads the tournament at +8, two shots ahead of UNLV. The Spartans' Lucia Lopez Ortega and the Rebels' Toa Yokoyama are tied for the individual lead at -2.
 
"We're not out of it and we can still have a strong finish," Stender said.
 
Mountain West Championship Team Scores
 
1.  San Jose State – 291-293-584 (+8)
2. UNLV – 292-294-586 (+10)
3. Nevada – 288-303-591 (+15)
4. Colorado State – 295-299-594 (+18)
5. New Mexico – 298-299-597 (+21)
6. Boise State – 301-298-599 (+23)
7. Fresno State – 300-309-609 (+33)
8. San Diego State – 304-306-610 (+34)
9. Wyoming – 302-312-614 (+38)
 
Cowgirls Team Scores
 
T28 Kira Reisner 74-79-153 (+9)
33 Lucia Morelli 77-78-155 (+11)
T34 Meghan Vogt 77-79-156 (+12)
T37 Grace Dunkleberger 81-76-157 (+13)
T44 Kyla Wilde 74-NA (+2)
47 Sophie Spiva NA-81 (+9)