Harker First, Eagles Second After Ashland Invitational Opening Round

The Ashland University women's golf team has the Eagle Invitational field right where it wants it.
 
On Monday (Sept. 23) at the Ashland Golf Club, the Eagles hosted and played the first 18 holes, and are three shots behind first-place Glenville State. Ashland carded a team score of 311, and the Pioneers fired a 308.
 
"It was a mixed bag," said Ashland head coach Bill Pollock. "It's typical of what we do in the first round here. There's a lot of pressure, with family and friends, to perform. If you look at every tournament we've won here, we've been three to five strokes down the first day."
 
In addition to the team success on Monday, sophomore LeeAnn Harker is the opening-round individual leader with a 75. Harker had a stretch of three birdies in four holes to start the back nine.
 
"I started out kind of bad," Harker said. "I just played really well afterwards. I thought it was a really good, solid day. I scrambled very well. My short game and getting on the green was the best part.
 
"We'll all be ready to compete, and hungry to play better (tomorrow)."
 
Said Pollock of Harker, "It's a good bridge to the future, because we're trying to build a program that sustains itself."
 
The Eagles boast three players in the top five of the individual leader board through the first 18. Senior Grace Grant is tied for second with a 76 (one birdie), while senior Emma Conway is tied for fifth after an opening 77 (two birdies).
 
VEVERKA PACES THE PURPLE TEAM…AND THE REST OF THE STORY

• Ashland's Purple team is seventh in the 14-team field after recording a 341. Senior Alyson Veverka led the way on Day 1 with an 81 (tied for 15^th).
• Rounding out the Gold squad's showing on Monday were junior Klaira Paramore (83, tied for 21^st), sophomore Riley McKenzie (85, tied for 29^th, one birdies), and freshman Dakota Riley (86, tied for 35^th).
• A reception on Sunday (Sept. 22) and the tournament itself is a chance to honor AU's six seniors – Conway, Grant, Veverka, Lindsay Mayo, Sophia Rogowski and Alaina Kathrein.
• "We had a great event last night," Pollock noted. "Those seniors are a big part of why we are where we're at. The resurgence of the program is because of them. Very proud of each and every one of them."

UP NEXT
The second and final round of the 2024 Ashland Invitational on Tuesday (Sept. 24), starting at 8 a.m..