The Germans stand at 13-under par at 415 with the USA and Chinese Taipei sharing second at 419. Sweden, which held the 36-hole lead by two strokes over Germany and the USA, shot 143 and sits in fourth place.
Briem, who was a member of the victorious European team at the 2021 Junior Solheim Cup, birdied five of her first seven holes and finished with eight birdies against three bogeys.
“It is not often that you play with World No. 1 (Rose Zhang, USA) and No. 2 (Ingrid Lindblad) in one flight,” Briem said. “I was a little nervous at the start because there were so many people. After my start I felt much calmer and went low.”
Gassner felt that an unassuming attitude coming into the WWATCs played in her team’s favor.
“Sometimes when you don’t have expectations that’s the best thing,” she said. “You don’t put pressure on yourself. They just went out and played and played well. Now, we must manage expectations for tomorrow.
Rose Zhang of the USA, who shot a 2-under 69, had a positive perspective of her team’s position.
“We just have stay steady and have the mindset that we are trailing but we have the skill set and the mental fortitude to push forward,” said the three-time Mark H. McCormack Award winner. “We are better coming from behind and this is team play. I don’t think anything is impossible. I have full faith in my teammates.”
Spain moved up to fourth, followed by France and Japan tied for sixth. Canada is eighth and Australia, England and Scotland are tied for ninth.