GADSDEN, Ala. – Longwood women's golf may have started slow, but the Lancers finished strong in the first round of the Chris Banister Golf Classic at the RTJ Golf Course at Silver Lake on Sunday afternoon.
 
Four Lancers are in the top 26, with Madison Lehr tied for 12^th in the 93-player field as Longwood is third in the 16-team field.
 
NOTABLE RESULTS:
 
The Lancers are only two strokes behind Indiana State in second and 14 strokes behind 21^st-ranked Tennessee, who leads the field at three over.
 
Longwood posted a 305 (+17) as a team on the Par 72, 6,214 course.
 
Madison Lehr led the way with an opening-round 74 (+2). She shook off a slow start to go even over her final 14 holes and fired three of her four birdies on the day in that stretch.
 
Avery Nordman, Chiara Wippert and Abigail Sheldon all are tied for 26^th with a 77 (+5).
 
Wippert had a stretch of 10 straight pars in the middle of her round, and Sheldon was one over on her back nine on the day. Nordman also had a birdie in her final nine holes.
 
Caroline Tragesser is tied for 51^st after posting an 80 (+8) on the day.
 
WHAT THEY SAID:
 
"It was a team effort and team perseverance today," said Longwood Head Coach Megan Weaver. "We got off to a rough start; as a group, we were 12-over after four holes. This is an intimidating golf course, especially with the slopes and multiple tiers on every green. We stayed patient and settled into our groove, and they should be proud of this! We're in a great position, with the opportunity to play in the final pairings with No. 21 Tennessee tomorrow!"
 
UP NEXT:
 
The second round of the tournament tees off tomorrow morning, with the third round scheduled for Tuesday this week.
 
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