SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. – Carson-Newman hit more birdies – nine – than any other team in the field of 10 during the opening round of the Food Lions South Atlantic Conference Golf Championship en route to locking down the fourth spot after 18 holes of action. 

Meridith Hawkins (Powell, Tenn.) and Mary Tunnell (Cordova, Tenn.) turned in the top performances for the Eagles.  Hawkins was seven-over par with a 79 and in a tie for seventh, while Tunnell took 11^th for day one following her 10-over 82.  

Hawkins led all players with three birdies.  She was tied with her teammate Lauren Hodge (Jefferson City, Tenn.) and Newberry's Eline Askeland. 

Carson-Newman is 10 strokes away from the third place Wolves and 19 off leader Tusculum.  Hawkins is five strokes back away from clubhouse leader and first team all-SAC selection Jillian Corum, who shot a 74 (+2). 

Hawkins was red hot to start, she birdied three of her first four holes.  Hodge picked up steam on the back nine with birdies on 12 and 14 to get to 13-over and 18^th place. 

Danielle Baiunco and Chelsea Passmore both shot 88s (+16) for round one. 

Carson-Newman was the five seed entering the tournament, but improved their lot by a spot for round two.  The Eagles will still tee off at 10 a.m. Live stats are available on birdiefire.com/sac. 

4 Carson-Newman University 334 334 +46

T 7 Meridith Hawkins 79 79 +7

T 11 Mary Tunnell 82 82 +10

18 Lauren Hodge 85 85 +13

T 27 Danielle Baiunco 88 88 +16

T 27 Chelsea Passmore 88 88 +16

-CN-