COON RAPIDS, Minn. — With weather conditions more conducive to an outdoor hockey game than the first round of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships, Mother Nature proved to be the real winner Saturday afternoon.
 
Blake Westerberg shot an opening-round 79 to pace the Saint Mary's University of Minnesota men's golf team, which is sitting 10th after Day 1 with a 345 total.
 
Haley Jung led the charge for the Cardinal women, shooting a 91 to help Saint Mary's to a 372 total and a 10th-place team finish.
 
Along with Westerberg's 79, the Cardinal men also got an 7 from Hunter Rau, an 89 from Hudson Stensgard, and a 90 and 94 from Brett Jackson and Connor Brandt, respectively.
 
Kaitlyn Kling and Madison Gately were second to Jung for the Saint Mary's women, shooting 93s, with Kelsey Stenzel (95) and Jennie Marx (100) rounding out the Cardinal lineup.
 
The Cardinals and the rest of the conference retun to Bunker Hills Gol Course Sunday for the second round of the 54-hole tournament.