RIO VERDE, Ariz. (2/27/16) – Arkansas State freshman Aracelly Jimenez Rios moved up seven spots into a tie for fourth place Saturday at the Rio Verde Invitational, where the Red Wolves remain in ninth place among 18 teams despite improving their second-round score by three strokes.

A-State not only posted its lowest score this spring, but also matched its best total over the last four tournaments with a 301 shot on the Rio Verde Country Club's White Wing course. The squad, which recorded a 304 yesterday, will enter tomorrow's third-and-final round two strokes behind Missouri State and within five of Eastern Michigan and Bradley, which are currently tied for fifth place.

Now with a combined 592, Toledo has taken over sole possession of first place, while Wichita State stands second with a 594 and Northern Arizona third with a 596. Little Rock, the only other Sun Belt Conference team competing, is in 13th place after shooting a combined 610.

Jimenez Rios, looking for her second individual title and back-to-back top-10 finishes, tied her season-best round with a 71. She turned in a 74 for yesterday's opening round, giving her a 145 total that leaves her four strokes behind leader Hannah Lee of Xavier.

Also showing improvement for A-State during the tournament's second day were freshman Beth Ann Compton and senior Maci Brooks , who shot the same exact score for the second straight day. They both posted a 75, two strokes better than their first-round score, to move them up six places into a tie for 34th place. Brooks' 75 tied her best single-round total this season.

One day after shooting a 76, sophomore Sarah Childers saw her score drop by four strokes as she moved from tied for 32nd place to tied for 59th with a combined 156. Senior Abi Laker recorded an 84, giving her a combined 163 that leaves her in a tie for 88th place.