HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. -- Matilda Frövenholt (Öjersjö, Sweden) paced Carson-Newman to a tie for fifth through the first day with a share of sixth at one-over through the first round of the Battle at Hilton Head on Monday at the Palmetto Dunes Resort.
The junior's 73 in the round matches her second-lowest single round score of the season and her career.
"Really good start by the team today," Carson-Newman coach Suzanne Strudwick said. "On a tough golf course, we came ready to compete. Matilda was the team-low which for our No. 5 player is awesome. I'm proud of the entire team today."
The Eagles were 12-over by the end of Monday with a 300, sitting four shots back of first-place and just one behind a tie for third. They were the best par-5 scoring team in the field with a one-under 2.47.
Frövenholt was two-over in first nine holes because of three bogeys. She picked up steam in the back nine with a one-under outing on two birdies and just one bogey. Her two-under scoring on par-4s was the best in the field. She heads into the final round just three shots back of the lead and one stroke out of the top-three.
Rachel Watts (Newport, Tenn.), Jayla Sims (Soddy-Daisy, Tenn.) and Olivia Williams (Cleveland, Tenn.), C-N's individual in the event, all tied for 11th through the first round with two-over outings of 74.
Watts was on par for 12 holes through the first day. Of the six remaining holes, she collected a pair of birdies, one of those coming on the par-five 10th.
Sims was the only Eagle to shoot for birdie on the first hole she faced on the day. The junior went on to card two more while shooting for bogey three times exclusively on par 4s.
Williams hit a double bogey on her opening look but cleaned it up with a trio of birdies before the close of her front nine. Aside from the double bogey she shot to start her afternoon, she was on par for each of the next eight holes.
"Olivia's hard work and determination in making the travel team is paying off," Strudwick said.
Five shots behind the trio was Ellie Haughton (Lincolnshire, England), tied for 50th at seven-over. The freshman carded seven bogeys in the round while going even on the rest of the holes. Four of those seven bogeys came on par-4 holes.
Maeve Cummins (Waringstown, Northern Ireland) faced the most bogeys in the round with seven, pushing her into a tie for 66th with a 12-over 84, her highest single-round score in her career. The sophomore saw one birdie in the round but tacked on three double bogeys.
"Maeve had a difficult day, but her team backed her up," Strudwick said. "That's what a good team does."
No. 14/14 Lee leads the field at eight-over with No. 15/16 Limestone trailing at 10-over. One shot behind in a tie for third are Catawba and Missouri-St.Louis.
On the player side, Missouri-St. Louis' Emma Thorngren sits at the top of the leaderboard with a two-under 70. Parker Melting of UNC Pembroke is second at one-under followed by a three-way tie for third.
One more round of action will round out the tournament at the Robert Trent Jones Oceanfront Course on Tuesday. Play begins with a shotgun start at 9 a.m. with live scoring on BirdieFire throughout the day. A recap will make its way to cneagles.com following the event.
