SIMPSONVILLE, Ky. — Ana Gonzalez carded a 2-over-par round to lead the UTSA women's golf team on the opening day of the NCAA Louisville Regional, which teed off on Monday at University of Louisville Golf Club (par 72/6,289 yards).
Gonzalez posted a 74 to help the No. 13 seed Roadrunners turn in a 303, good for a tie with No. 17 James Madison for 14th place, two shots ahead of 15-seed College of Charleston and three in front of No. 16 Xavier. UTSA is only a pair of strokes behind sixth-seeded Texas Tech for 11th place and one shy of a tie between No. 11 seed North Florida and 14-seed Mercer.
A four-time all-conference selection, Gonzalez is part of a seven-way tie for 25th at 2-over, six shots off the pace of 4-under set by Emilie Paltrinieri of UCLA and Amelia Williamson of Florida State. The senior from Monterrey, Mexico, wrote down five birdies during her opening round with four coming as part of a 1-under 35 on the front nine. In fact, her five birdies mark the second-best total in the 96-player field after 18 holes.
Hannah Holzmann is one stroke behind her teammate in a tie for 32nd at 3-over 75. The junior all-conference performer from San Antonio wrote down four birdies on the front, including three in a row on Nos. 4-6, en route to a 2-under 34 on that side.
Camryn Carreon and Katia Mexsen each have a share of 54th place at 5-over 77. Carreon, a second-team all-league player from San Antonio, posted a birdie on the 503-yard, par-5 ninth hole to highlight her scorecard. Mexsen, a product of Torreon, Mexico, had birdies on a pair of par fours to headline her opening round.
Nicole Polivchak rounds out the UTSA lineup in a tie for 71st after logging a 78 that included a birdie on the 175-yard, par-3 12th.
No. 2 seed and eighth-ranked Florida State has the day-one lead at 2-under 286, five shots ahead of 7-seed UCLA. No. 8 Michigan State (+4), 12th-seeded Louisville (+5) and top-seed South Carolina (+7) round out the top five in the 18-team field.
The second round of the 54-hole tournament is slated for Tuesday and the Roadrunners will tee off from No. 10 beginning at 8 a.m. CT.
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