CITY OF INDUSTRY, Calif. -- Cal State Fullerton senior Kristen Aiu shot a 2-over-par 73 to finish atop the leaderboard after 18 holes and the Titans placed three golfers in the top 15 Sunday, helping them to a share of sixth place after day one at the 2013 Folino Invitational Presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California held at the Industry Hills Golf Club.
Aiu, competing as an individual, finished tied for fourth on day one with three birdies, including two on the back nine to finish at even par for the final nine holes, holding a one-shot lead over five players -- three from Gonzaga and two from Boise State. Sophomore Makayla Mier, who fired a 5-over 76 to finish tied for 11th, and sophomore Seri Lee, who shot a 6-over 77, ended up in a five-way tie for 15th.
Defending champion Gonzaga held the team lead following day one, shooting 19-over-par to top second-place Boise State, which finished four shots back at 23-over par. Portland State and Wyoming tied for third at 28-over while Montana finished at 30-over par to round out the top five. Fullerton shares sixth with Sacramento State.
Senior Neomi Hunt and Deidre Crabtree, along with sophomore Tisha Alyn Abrea, all finished in the 80s with Hunt (+9) ending in a tie for 32nd and Crabtree and Abrea tying for 39th at 11-over par.
Other Fullerton individual finishers included Nicole Rivera, in a tie for 54th with an 13-over-par 84, Dakota Brown, in a tie for 62nd with a 16-over-par 87, and Nadine Rivera, in a tie for 65th with an 18-over-par 89.
Play resumes with round two on Monday morning at 7:20 a.m., with live scoring available at http://www.golfstatresults.com/public/index.cfm?tournament_id=3651.
