Paced by junior Natalie Bird, the Missouri Western women’s golf team is just one stroke back of the lead firing an opening round 325 in the Avila Invitational at the Fred Arbansas Golf Club.

Bird continued her solid play with 76, her lowest round of the 2011-12 season. She fired a front nine 34 and finished up her round with a 42 on the back nine. Northwest Missouri State’s Cassie Lowell shares the first round lead with Bird as she also finished with a 76.

The Bearcats sit just one stroke ahead of the Griffons in first place at 324. Western is 28 strokes better than third place William Jewell while host Avila sits in fourth.

A pair of Griffons join Bird near the top of the leaderboard as Casi Webb and Darcy Smith closed out day one in fourth and sixth place respectively. Webb shot a first round 81 while Smith fired an 83.

Shelby Stone capped the Griffon scoring with an 85 while Kristen Cooley fired a first round 86.

The Griffons will try and catch the Bearcats in round two as teams return to the course Tuesday morning for a final round shotgun start.

2 Missouri Western St. 325
T 1 Natalie Bird             34- 42     76
T 4 Casi Webb              41- 40     81
T 6 Darcy Smith            42- 41     83
T 10 Shelby Stone        42- 43     85
T 12 Kristen Cooley     43- 43     86

— MWSU Sports Information —