Sevierville, Tenn. – Western Carolina's Victoria Ladd shot a career-low, even-par 71 on Sunday to sit in third place while junior teammate Madison Isaacson (74) is amidst a five-way tie for fifth, three strokes back to lead the Catamounts after 18 of the scheduled 54 holes at the 2021 Bobby Nichols Intercollegiate hosted by Tennessee Tech at the par-71, 5,803-yard Highlands Course at the Sevierville Golf Club.
 
Behind the two top-five individual starts through 18 holes, the Catamounts are in fifth-place in the 13-team field entering Monday's second round after shooting 305 collectively on Sunday.
 
Ladd countered four bogeys with four birdies for the even-par round, three strokes better than her previous best career round. The Greensboro, N.C., native overcame a 2-over front nine with three bogeys and a birdie on the par-4 seventh before quickly moving back to 1-over with a birdie on the par-4 10th as a part of three birdies and one bogey on the back nine.
 
Isaacson recorded two birdies and an eagle on the par-4 10th against seven bogeys for the 3-over par round of 74.
 
Like Isaacson, senior Maya White posted an eagle on Sunday, doing so on the par-5 third, but a tough back nine relegated her to an 8-over par 79 and a tie for 32nd after 18 holes. Classmate Hazel Martin is tied for 44th with a first-round score of 81 and senior Cameron Wood (86) is tied for 58th overall.
 
Eastern Kentucky paces the field with a first-round 297, three strokes ahead of second-place Findlay after shooting 300. Tusculum is third, five strokes off the pace at 302 followed by Northern Iowa (304) and WCU to round out the top five. EKU's Ragga Kristinsdottir and Jennifer Keim of Tusculum are tied atop the individual leader board, a stroke ahead of Ladd in third with matching first-round scores of 1-under 70.
 
Play continues Monday morning with live scoring through GolfStat available online.
 
5 – Western Carolina – 305 = 305 (+21)
3 – Victoria Ladd – 71 = 71 (E)
T5 – Madison Isaacson – 74 = 74 (+3)
T32 – Maya White – 79 = 79 (+8)
T44 – Hazel Martin – 81 = 81 (+10)
T58 – Cameron Wood – 86 = 86 (+15)