Concord, N.H.- The Le Moyne College women's golf team finished round one of the Northeast-10 Conference Championship placing second at Beaver Meadow Golf Course.

Franklin Pierce led the way in round one, shooting a combined 314 as all four scorers finished in the top 10. The Dolphins combined for a total of 333, four shots ahead of third place Assumption. The Dolphins are in second place for just the second time in eight NE10 Championships and for the first time since 2016-17. Le Moyne's 333 is its fourth-best score at the conference championship.

"It was so exciting to come out today and shock everyone's expectations," said head coach Brittany Siechen. "The girls have put in a lot of hard work and effort to be able to come out strong. Meg (McKeen) has been leading the team to higher expectations and her leadership and hard work was shown on the course today. We're excited to come out and finish tomorrow!"
 
In her first collegiate tournament, freshman Mia Avotins (Liverpool, N.Y./Liverpool) shot a 77, the best score by a Dolphin in their collegiate debut, placing her in a tie for third in the individual competition. After a 39 on the front nine, Avotins bested that with a 38 on the back nine. Her 77 is tied for the third-best score by a Dolphin at the conference championships and is tied for the second-best by a freshman. She is just the fifth Dolphin in the program's history to post a score in the 70s.
 
Once again, senior Meghan McKeen (Syracuse, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy) continued her consistent play, shooting a 79, which places her in a four-way tie for seventh. McKeen rallied to shoot a 38 on the back nine following a 41 on the front. Her score of 79 is a new career best for a single round and the sixth-best by a Dolphin at the conference championship, while she is also just the sixth Dolphin to post a score in the 70s.
 
Freshman Nataly Avotins (Liverpool, N.Y./Liverpool) contributed to the second-place finish with a score of 80 in her collegiate debut after a 38 on the front and 42 on the back. She currently sits in a tie for 11th. Her 80 is the third-best mark by a Dolphin in their collegiate debut.
 
Redshirt senior Nessa McKie (Cicero, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse/Pace) finished 31st after a round of 97. Junior Madeline Ferris (Fayetteville, N.Y./Jamesville-Dewitt) shot a 99, placing her in 32nd.
 
Play will continue tomorrow with the second round, where the Dolphins look to remain in contention. The Dolphins are looking to improve on their program-best third place at the NE10 championships, which was set in Spring 2015 and equaled in Fall 2015, 2016 and 2017.
 
For updates on tomorrow's round, visit the NE10 website (northeast10.org) and follow along on Twitter (@TheNortheast10).