On a day when the putts wouldn't drop, top-ranked Duke turned in a second-round total of 303 and fell back to second place entering the final round of the NCAA East Regional.

After carding a 3-under-par 285 on Thursday, Duke posted a 15-over-par 303 on the second day. The Blue Devils own a 36-hole total of 588 and trail Florida (585) by three strokes heading into Saturday’s final 18 holes. The Gators totaled a team-best 7-over 295 on Friday at the University of Georgia Golf Course in Athens, Ga.

In the Central Regional in Austin, Texas, N.C. State's Lauren Doughtie and Stephanie Derrey are both in the top-10 individually and give the Wolfpack, tied for 10th, a realistic chance at its first NCAA Championship appearance.

The Wolfpack sits at 16-over 304, just four shots out of the eighth and final qualifying position for the NCAA Championship.

Doughtie picked up right where she left off on Thursday by posting birdie on her first two holes of the morning to move to 5 under for the tournament. However, she gave back three strokes at 16 and 17 to finish at 37 on the back nine.

She then had two birdies and two bogeys on the front nine to finish up at 1-over 73 today to remain in the top-10 — alone in sixth place at 2-under 142.

Texas Christian's Valentine Derrey, sister of N.C. State's Stephanie Derrey leads after 36 holes at 7-under 137.

"What I was just saying to the team was this was absolutely perfect bent grass growing conditions right now," Duke coach Dan Brooks said. "It rained last night so these greens spent the whole day growing like crazy. So we came in and played all of our golf in the afternoon and there were a lot of surprised looks on people's faces after their putts because they are watching those putts trickle away, while expecting them to go in.

"That can get frustrating, especially for good players and good putters. Now you have to be mentally stronger than that and you have to be able to go in and know that is going to happen — you are going to have more grain and slower putts. That is where we didn't get it done."

Rounding out the top eight teams were South Carolina (594), Auburn (598), Georgia (599), Furman (599), Wake Forest (603) and New Mexico (605). The top eight teams through Saturday's round will advance to participate in the NCAA Championship, May 20-23 in Albuquerque, N.M.

"All of us go to regionals every year training our mentalities, minds — trying to get ourselves to get tough as nails," Brooks said. "So it is always with the idea of winning the whole thing. This is just a great place to prepare yourself for what is coming."

Continuing to lead the Blue Devils is Amanda Blumenherst, who carded a 1-over 73 and enters the final round tied for second along with Louisville's Sara-Maude Juneau at 3-under 141. Maintaining the individual lead is South Carolina's Benedicte Toumpsin, who fired a 2-under 70 and sits at 6-under 138.

"I played really well, which is frustrating that the number didn't show how I really played," said Blumenherst. "I hit it so solid and putted really well — just not one putt fell in. It was just constant lip-outs and leaving them short. It was really frustrating that I was playing as well as I was and shot one over because I felt like I played the same as I did yesterday, but it was quite a big difference in score."