Fort Myers, Fla. - The Stetson women's golf team opened the FIU Pat Bradley Invitational on Sunday with a 17 over par 305 team score, good for fifth place in the 15-team field after 18 holes. Junior Alexandria Buelow (Palm City, Fla.) led the Hatters with a two over par 74 and is tied for fourth individually, two shots off the lead.

Buelow is following very close behind co-leaders Meredith Fairbairn (Eastern Michigan) and Fabienne Haremza (FGCU), who each shot 72 in the first round at Pelican Preserve Golf Club. Boston College's Cristina McQuiston sits in third at one over par; Buelow is tied at +2 with Katia Joo (Boston College), Addison Long (North Texas), Alyssa Kwon (Eastern Michigan), Katie Mundy (FIU) and Shelby Coyle (FIU).

Sophomore Ryan Ashburn (Largo, Fla.) supplemented Buelow's efforts with a four over par 76; she is tied for 14th place. Following closely behind them are senior Lauren Cate (St. Augustine, Fla.) with a 77 and sophomore Jenna Hoecker (Rochester, N.Y.) with a 78. Stetson's dropped score for the day was the 81 shot by sophomore Sammi Smith (Louisville, Ky.); sophomore Claudia Redinger, competing as an individual, also carded 81.

Boston College leads the 15-team field at 12 over par, one stroke ahead of North Texas and two up on Eastern Michigan. Host FIU is in fourth at 15 over par with the Hatters two strokes behind the Panthers in fifth. Rounding out the field are Bradley (+23), FGCU (+23), Cincinnati (+25), Southern Miss (+27), Delaware (+29), Daytona State (+40), Drake (+43), Florida Atlantic (+43), Western Illinois (+44) and Bethune-Cookman (+47).

The FIU Pat Bradley Invitational continues tomorrow and concludes on Tuesday.

FACEBOOK - Stetson Athletics (facebook.com/stetsonhatters); TWITTER - @StetsonSID (twitter.com/stetsonsid)