SAINT LEO, Fla. – Saint Leo women’s golf junior Goeun Lee shot a career-best even-par-72 in the opening round of the 36th annual Peggy Kirk Bell Invitational and followed that up with a 5-over-77 as she is currently in second place heading into tomorrow’s final round.  As a team, the 19th-ranked Lions carded a two-round 310-319—629 and sit in fifth place with just 18 holes left in the tournament at the Tuscawilla Country Club in Winter Springs, Fla.

Lee (72-75—149) is a lone stroke behind Florida Southern’s Melanie Audette for the tournament led after her career day.  Senior Jordan Hatch (75-83—158) is second on the team, and 17th overall while freshman Heather Petronis (80-80—160) is two strokes behind her teammate after a very consistent first-36 holes, and she is in 26th overall.

Junior Tricia Maloney (83-81—164) rounded out the total of countable team cards as she finished in 43rd and senior Suzanne Ervin (86-81—167) shaved five strokes off a rough first round to finish 55th.

Individually, senior Kristina Carvalho (84-84—168) sits in 60th with one round to go.

Three of the nation's top-four ranked teams anchor the leaderboard after day one.

Second-ranked Florida Southern shot a 310 in the morning and then hung the best score of the day, a 303, in the afternoon to lead with 613 strokes. Top-ranked Nova Southeastern is a shot back (614) with scores of 305-309 while fourth-ranked Rollins is eight off the pace with a score of 621 (311-310).

Facing chilly conditions in the morning and a breezy afternoon, Florida Southern's Melanie Audette leads the field of 82 participants. She shot an even-par 72 to open and carded a 76 in round two to hold a day one score of 148.  Mitsuki Katahira of Daytona State was 12th after a first round 77, but climbed into a tie for third with Nova Southeastern's Abby Gittings by day’s end.

The 36th annual Peggy Kirk Bell Invitational will conclude with a final round on Tuesday, March 8. Pending weather, players will go off at an 8:30 a.m. shotgun start.