DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. --- The LIU Brooklyn women's golf team produced a stellar opening round during the first day of the Bethune-Cookman Lady EagleCat Invitational Thursday afternoon.
LIU carded a season-low 303 (+15) to finish the first 18 holes of play tied for third place with Sacred Heart and trailing only the host Wildcats (296 / +8) and leader Boston College (292 / +4). Each of the four scoring players - Carolina Ronchel, Aida Gonzales, Lauren Rutherglen and Rebeca Pardos - recorded new season-best rounds, shooting 74, 76, 76 and 77 respectively. For Ronchel, Gonzales and Pardos, the marks set early career highs for the trio of newcomers.
Ronchel continued her strong season by tying for sixth place with her first round score. She shot 3-over on her front nine before going 1-under on the back nine to log her team-leading total. Gonzales and Rutherglen came about their tallies in different ways - Gonzales shot even par on the front nine before ending at 4-over while Rutherglen was consistent all day, shooting 2-over in both nine-hole increments.
Sara Ciliberto rounded out the Blackbirds actively playing with a +22 (94). Emma Paschal played the course as an individual and shot a 10-over 82.
LIU will play the final two rounds of the invitational over the next two days.