CANTON, N.Y. – Paced by a one-over 73 from sophomore Iyene Essien, the Union College women's golf team carded a team round of 323 to sit in a tie for first place after day one of the St. Lawrence University Fall Invitational, held at Oliver D. Appleton Golf Course on Saturday.
 
Union's top four players all cracked 90 on Saturday, helping Union to the third-lowest single-round score in program history despite difficult conditions to start the day. The Garnet Chargers are tied atop the leaderboard with Ithaca College at +35, 13 shots ahead of SUNY Cortland in third place and 28 strokes clear of fourth-place St. Lawrence.

"It was a complete team effort today, and I'm really proud of every single player," said head coach Matt McPhillips. "Being tied for the lead is a testament to that."
 
Essien sits atop the individual leaderboard after an excellent opening round, carding 15 pars to go with one birdie and two bogies to hold a one-shot lead over SUNY Cortland's Gina Milazzo and sit in third on the school's single-round scoring list. Starting on the 11th hole, the sophomore birdied the par-four 15th before a bogey on the par-four 1st moved her back to par. She parred the next eight holes before a bogey on the par-four 10th closed her day.
 
Senior Shea White and sophomore Carinna Anastasio both sit inside the top 10 at the midway point of the weekend as well. White carded an eight-over 80 to sit in eighth place, posting dual nines of 40 in a steady round that saw her post no scores higher than bogey. Anastasio is one shot back in ninth place after an 81, as she closed with a 39 on the front nine to move up the leaderboard. The sophomore was the second-best player in the field on the par-fives on Saturday, finishing the four longest holes at one-under.
 
First-year Emma Doherty carded a round of 89 to place 16th at the midway point of the weekend, helped by a birdie on the par-five 4th hole, while sophomore Ella Golas rounded out Union's quintet with a 93.
 
Playing as individuals, senior Delaney Fox matched the best round of her career with a 96 to sit in 22nd place, while first-year Claire Giletta came in one shot back with a 97.
 
The Garnet Chargers will be up early for tomorrow's second round, which is set to tee off at 8:30 a.m.