Valparaiso’s women’s golf team posted an opening round score of 351 as a team on Friday morning in the opening day of the Horizon League Golf Championships, and is in seventh place after 18 holes at the Mission Inn Golf and Tennis Resort in Howey-in-the-Hills, Fla.

The Crusaders are just one shot behind sixth place Youngstown State and two strokes behind Green Bay for fifth place.  Butler leads the way after shooting 331, 11 shots ahead of Detroit.  Cleveland State posted an opening round 344 while Loyola (Chicago) carded 345.  UIC is eighth after firing an opening 378.

“With everyone healthy and able to play tomorrow, we think we have a really good chance to move up in the standings,” head coach Mat Blair said.  “I still think we have an opportunity to post a top-three finish.”

Brianna Davy (Schererville, Ind./Lake Central H.S.) led the way for the Crusaders in the opening round and is tied for fifth place overall after carding an 82 on the 5,877-yard,  par-73 layout.  Michelle Kleckner (New Brighton, Minn./Irondale H.S.) is two strokes behind Davy after posting 84, and is tied for ninth individually.

“We put Bri and Michelle out first today and they both played really well and got off to a good start,” Blair added.

Kelly Voigt (Palatine, Ill./Fremd H.S.) added a 92 for the Brown and Gold in round one, but posted the team’s lone birdie on the par-five seventh hole, and Jessica O’Brien (Chesterton, Ind./Chesterton H.S.) added a 93 to complete the Valpo lineup.

Butler’s Clare Cornelius and Detroit’s Lindsey Lammers share the individual lead after both posted six-over par rounds of 79, one shot ahead of Butler’s Isabella Lambert.

Valparaiso will return to action on Saturday morning for round two of the 54-hole championship.  Action begins at 9 a.m. CDT.