LAS VEGAS- Idaho women's golf fired a 5-under 281 Monday, to climb the leaderboard of the Las Vegas Collegiate Showdown. The Vandals posted the second-lowest team score of the day and jumped from a tie for eighth to sitting alone in fourth place through two rounds. Three Vandals are in the top 20, individually.

"It is fun to see the team shoot low," said head coach Lisa Johnson. "In past years when we've shot this low the team has been extremely excited. Today there was a calm confidence. We knew we could do this and we know we still have more to give."

Freshman Valeria Patino led the way with a 4-under 68, the best score to par in her young career. Patino, starting on hole seven, took a bogey to begin her round but bounced back with a birdie on the next hole. After a bogey on 12, she birdied four of the next five, including three consecutive birdies on 15, 16 and 17. Patino sits in a tie for eighth on the individual leaderboard.

"Valeria has been very steady," Johnson said. "She got the putter rolling early to give her some confidence, making a few long birdie putts. She is a very even-keel, level-headed golfer. She thinks through every shot, has a good pre-shot routine and has a great perspective on the game."

Sophie Hausmann is one stroke back of Patino in a tie for 10th. Hausmann shot a 4-under 69 in the second round, including Idaho's first eagle of the season on the par-5 16th hole.She added three more birdies, but a bogey on the penultimate hole kept her a stroke behind Patino. Michelle Kim replicated her 1-under 71 from Sunday, including three birdies. Kendall Gray rounded out the scoring with a 1-over 73. Laura Gerner shot 3-over.

Idaho carded one eagle (Hausmann) and 16 birdies, while avoiding anything worse than a bogey. After the five competing Vandals played holes 9 and 18 Sunday at a combined 12-over, the team shot 2-over on the two holes Monday.

"We knew this performance was in us," said Johnson. "But we left the course today with the mindset that we can play even better tomorrow. Our goal is to minimize the mistakes and make 20 birdies as a team. Ig we can accomplish those things, we can shoot even better than we did today."

The tournament concludes Tuesday, with a shotgun start at 8 a.m. PT.