First Round Results

BALLSTON SPA, N.Y. -- The Elmira College women's golf team wrapped up the opening round of the 2017 Empire 8 Conference Championships in sixth place out of the 12-team field on the challenging links at the Ballston Spa Country Club Saturday afternoon.

The Soaring Eagles, playing the course for the first-time ever, carded a cumulative team score of 414 (+126) and trail fifth-place Keuka College by 11 strokes. EC was the second-best team on day one of the tournament on the par-3s, as the Purple and Gold were 32-over on those five holes. Meghan Fonfara '18 was tied for the best score of the day on the par-3 holes, finishing just one over.

Conference newcomers SUNY Cortland and Suffolk University, who joined the E8 as women's golf affiliates prior to the academic year, sit in first and second, respectively, following Saturday's round of 18. SUNY Cortland, which carded a 344 (+56), boasts a 37-stroke lead over the Rams. Five of the top seven players on the individual leaderboard are Red Dragons, including the entire top three. Tiffany Schapira, a Cortland junior, leads all 62 participants with a 10-over-par 82.

Audrey Clarke '18 is the highest-ranked player not from Cortland, as the EC senior sits in fourth after firing a 16-over-par 88 in the first round. She is six strokes behind Schapira, but just two strokes back of runner-up Hannah Fitzgerald (86, +14). Clarke was at her best on the par-3s and par-5s, but struggled collectively on the par-4s. The Churchville, New York, native opened her round with a triple bogey on the 370-yard par-4 first hole, but settled in nicely by coming up even on the par-3 second and par-5 third. Her lone birdie of the afternoon was on the 440-yard eighth, where she needed just four strokes to complete the par-5.

Fonfara, who fired a 24-over 96, is tied with SUNY Canton's Cecelia Nealy and Hannah Hall from Johnson & Wales for 17th place. Although she parred only one of her first six holes, the senior from Elma, New York, recovered well on the back nine, where she carded four more pars. Fonfara concluded her round by finishing even on her last hole, the par-3 second.

Fellow classmates Alyssa Ogden '18 and Cassie Chun '18 finished two strokes apart with scores of 114 (+42) and 116 (+44). Ogden was much better on the back nine, as she was only 16-over-par on the second half of the Ballston Spa course. Junior Sarah Hiltbrandt '19 rounded out Elmira's scorers with a 140 (+68).

Elmira Women's Results
4. Audrey Clarke - 88 (+16)
T-17. Meghan Fonfara - 96 (+24)
T-40. Alyssa Ogden - 114 (+42)
T-44. Cassie Chun - 116 (+44)
60. Sarah Hiltbrand - 140 (+68)

Team Results

1. SUNY Cortland - 344 (+56)
2. Suffolk - 381 (+93)
3. St. John Fisher - 397 (+109)
4. Johnson & Wales - 400 (+112)
5. Keuka - 403 (+115)
6. Elmira - 414 (+126)
7. Rhode Island - 426 (+138)
8. Westfield State - 444 (+156)
9. Utica - 447 (+159)
10. Nazareth - 454 (+166)
11. Husson - 461 (+173)
12. SUNY Canton - 480 (+192)

News and Notes

• Elmira concluded the opening round of the 2017 E8 Championships in sixth place out of 12 teams with a team score of 414 (+125).
• EC had the second-best cumulative score on the five par-3 holes, as the Soaring Eagles finished a combined 32-over for an average score of 4.28.
• The Soaring Eagles posted 13 pars in the first round, fourth-most in the tournament.
• Clarke is in fourth place following day one, but is just two strokes behind first-round runner-up Hannah Fitzgerald of SUNY Cortland.
• Clarke had one of 13 birdies out of the field of 62 players.

Up Next
The Soaring Eagles will finish the final 18 holes of the 2017 Empire 8 Championships on Sunday, October 15, at the Ballston Spa Country Club in Ballston Spa, New York.