LAKE CITY, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University of Minnesota wome's golf team put together one of its top team performances of the season Saturday afternoon during the opening round of the D3 Classic at The Jewel.
 
Madison Gately (Glenview, Ill.) led the way for the Cardinals—who are sitting 14th after the opening 18 holes of the two-day, 36-hole event—shooting a team-best 92, while Kaitlin Kling (LeRoy, Minn.) finished two shots back at 94, and Haley Jung (Monticello, Minn.) and Paul Avila (Weslaco, Texas) chipped in 95s. Michaela Heuckendorf (Plymouth, Minn.) rounded out the Saint Mary's top five with a 109.
 
St. Thomas and Carleton shared the first-round lead, firing identical 314s to hole a three shot lead over Wartburg. St. Catherine (326) and Gustavus (330) rounded out the top five.
 
Wartburg's Rochelle Beardsley fired the day's top round, shooting a two-over-par 74 to grab a one-shot lead over Rachel Morris of St. Thomas and St. Catherine's Sydney Busker.
 
The Cardinals and the rest of the field close out the 36-hole tournament on Sunday with a final 18-hole round at The Jewel.