SORRENTO, Fla. – The Union College women's golf team got its spring season underway on Monday with day one of the Union Florida Spring Invitational, held at Redtail Golf Club.
 
Union shot a team round of 353 on Monday's first day, sitting five shots back of Snead State Community College in second place and 16 strokes away from first-year Florida Gateway College at the midway point of the event.
 
"I'm really proud of how the team competed today in our first competitive round of the year," said head coach Matt McPhillips. "Windy conditions on a foreign golf course made it a challenge, but the team handled it well."
 
Florida Gateway's Karlee Gainey is the leader after one day of competition following a round of four-over 76, good for a five-stroke lead over FGC's Piper DiFrancesco and Snead State's Jaycee Berrong.
 
Sophomore Iyene Essien shot an 82 on Monday to sit in a tie for fourth place, six shots back of the lead. Essien ranked third in the field with nine pars on day one, including five in a steady four-over front nine. She added four pars in the first seven holes on the back side before bogies on the final two holes.
 
Senior Shea White and sophomore Carinna Anastasio finished in a tie for sixth place after rounds of 86. White recorded only one hole higher than a bogey on the day, carding dual nines of 43 in a steady afternoon on the course. Anastasio rebounded from an up-and-down front nine with a 41 on the back side, thanks to four pars and five bogies.
 
Sophomore Ella Golas rounded out the scoring quartet for Union with a 99, followed by first-year Emma Doherty with a 105 as the team's fifth scoring participant. First-year Claire Giletta carded a 101 and senior Delaney Fox finished with a 118 for Union as well on the day.
 
The Garnet Chargers will be back on the course tomorrow for the second and final day of the event beginning at 9 a.m.