GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNCG women's golf team opened the 2016 Clover Cup with a 324 team score in round one to sit in 16^th place at the Longbow Golf Club in Mesa, Ariz. The three-day, 54-hole event is hosted by Notre Dame and will continue Saturday with the Spartans teeing off from hole No. 10 between 8:00-8:36 a.m. Live scoring is available at www.birdiefire.com.

Freshman Natalia Asensio (Madrid, Spain/Cardenal Spinola) led the Spartans in round one with a 3-over par 75 to sit in a tie for 34^th overall. Asensio posted three birdies and 10 par scores in her strong first round showing. Nicole Autrique of USF and Brooke Graebe of TCU hold the individual lead at 5-under par 67.

“Today I went out there with no expectations and just focused on the process and what I have been working on this past week,” Asensio said. “I was hitting the ball with confidence and hit some really good shots today.”

The Spartans posted a 324-team score to sit in 16^th place. TCU holds the team lead at 4-under par 284 while SMU is second at 3-under par 285.

Redshirt freshman Savanna Mackie (Greensboro, N.C./Appalachian State) posted a 7-over par 79 to sit in 66^th place after one round. Junior Emily Kurey (Alpharetta, Ga./University of Louisville) posted a 12-over par 84 in 89^th place while sophomore Lexi Kershaw (Winston-Salem, N.C./Catawba) and Maddi MacClurg (Cary, N.C./Green Hope) rounded out the line with scores of 86 and 90, respectively.

Junior Kristin Powers (Pittsford, N.Y./Pittsford Mendon) posted a 4-over par 76 playing as an individual. Powers sits in a tie for 41^st overall after posting a round with three birdies and nine par scores. Senior Jessica Madsen (Slingerlands, N.Y./Daytona State) notched a 13-over par 85 as an individual.

Joining the Spartans in the field include host Notre Dame, TCU, SMU, USF, Oklahoma, UNCW, FIU, Tulsa, Penn State, Nebraska, Cincinnati, Ole Miss, Central Arkansas, Columbia, IUPUI and Central Michigan.

-UNCG-