The Middlebury women's golf team got off to a strong start in the opening round of the NESCAC Championship, carding a 316 to sit third overall. Ninth-ranked Williams leads the way with a 306, while Hamilton is just two strokes ahead of the Panthers (314). 

TOURNAMENT INFORMATION

• Location: Yahnundasis Golf Club (New Hartford, N.Y.)
• Host School: Hamilton
• Weather: Partly Sunny, 73
• Par: 73
• Yards: 5,702
• Teams Competing: Eight

HIGHLIGHTS

• Pacing the squad is Ella Han, who closed her round with a birdie on the 18th hole to shoot a three-over-par 76. The Panther is tied for third with two other competitors.
• Audrey Tir is one stroke behind after carding a 77 to sit alone in sixth. Tir also tallied a birdie on the final hole of the day.
• Sitting third in the lineup after the opening round is Morgan Lee. She is one of three golfers to shoot an 80, putting her in a share of 14th.
• Two strokes back in a tie for 20th is Mia Politano. The Panther earned two birdies over the final nine for an 83.
• In her first NESCAC Championship, Elizabeth Whalen concluded her round with two of her final four holes under par to record an 84. She is currently in 23rd place alongside five other golfers.

NOTES

• Han paced Middlebury with three of the team's 11 birdies over the opening 18 holes. Williams was the only team with more, earning 12.
• Lee had just one hole over par during the final nine holes.
• This is the first year the NESCAC has expanded to a three-day, 54-hole tournament. In the past, the top-four scoring teams from a 36-hole fall qualifier earned a spot in the spring championship, which was also two rounds.

The Panthers return to the course Saturday morning with the first groupings set to tee off at 11:00 a.m.