Hershey, Pa. (April 21, 2018) - Junior Emily Gilbert shot an 8-over 79 and senior Cayla McCarty shot a 12-over 83 to finish one-two in a field of 53, and give Alvernia a 12 stroke lead with a team score of 362 following the first day of the 2018 MAC Women's Golf Championship, hosted by Hershey Country Club (East).

Gilbert's 79 was just two strokes off her record breaking round of 77 from day one of the Championship in 2017.

Gilbert, the defending MAC Champion, started her day on the par 4 10th and went par-par to start off her day. Gilbert went bogey-bogey on the next two before recovering for a par on the long par 5 14th. She then went bogey-par-bogey-bogey to post a 40 on the back nine. Gilbert opened the front nine going par-par on the par 5 first and par 3 second. Gilbert posted a five on the par four third but recovered nicely, paring four of her final six holes to post a 39 on the front nine.

Trailing Gilbert for second place overall is senior Cayla McCarty. McCarty posted a round of 83, a career best in MAC play and a 15 stroke improvement from the MAC Preview on the same course two weeks ago.

McCarty also started on the back nine and posted 38 at the turn. The senior pared the 11th and birdied the par 5 14th. She then went par-par-bogey-par to close out the back nine. McCarty pared the par 3 second hold, but posted a double bogey on three holes on the difficult front nine. She finished off her round with a par-bogey-bogey to post an 83 on the day.

Finishing in third for the Golden Wolves and t-14th overall was freshman Briana Hocker. Hocker posted two pars on her round, with a par on the par 5 14th and the par 4 ninth, her final hole of the day.

Finishing in fourth for Alvernia and in 25th overall was junior Jordan Kissner. Kissner posted a 57 on the back nine but rebounded for an eight stroke improvement on the front nine. Kissner's round was highlighted by pars on the par 3 second and par 4 ninth.

Alvernia currently sits in first place, 12 strokes ahead of Stevenson University, which posted a team score of 374. Eastern rounds on the top three with a team score of 380.

The Golden Wolves return on the course on Sunday morning for the second and final round of the 2018 MAC Women's Championship.
 

Alvernia University	362	+78	1st
Emily Gilbert	79	+8	1st
Cayla McCarty	83	+12	2nd
Briana Hocker	97	+26	t-14th
Jordan Kissner	103	+32	25th