By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information

MACON, Ga. – The Tennessee Tech women's golf team knocked out the first two rounds of competition at the Brickyard Collegiate Monday, participating in Mercer's tournament hosted at Brickyard Golf Club in Macon, Ga.

The Golden Eagles finished the opening day seventh in the eight-team field, producing scores of 318 and 324 for a 642. Mercer led its own event after posting back-to-back rounds of 299 for a 598 and six-stroke lead. The University of Incarnate Word's Mar Garcia paced all individuals in the field of 47, sitting 2-over with a 146.

Junior Ainsley Simms led the Tech effort, tying for 16th overall behind a 155 two-round total. She turned in scores of 76 and 79 with 14 pars in round one and a birdie in round two. Rookie Kaydi Rhodes made great improvement from one round to the next, carding an 83 before cutting it down to a team-best 75 in the second round. She tied for 25th with a 158, backed by five second-round birdies.

Katrine Toennessen was next on the Tech lineup on the leaderboard, finishing in a tie for 36th behind rounds of 83 and 75 for a 158. She managed two birdies on the day. The senior's twin sister, Elisabeth Toennessen, tallied one more stroke on the day after delivering an 80-85=165 to tie for 38th. She totaled three birdies over the first 36 holes.

Rounding out the lineup for the purple and gold, Gittle Sciolis placed 42nd after totaling a 170 with rounds of 84 and 86. The senior secured two birdies on Monday.

Competing as individuals were Makenzie Morton, Sydney Branson, and Reagan Stuke. Morton finished 41st with an 83-84=167 and one birdie while Stuke ended the day 43rd with an 85-86=171 and a birdie of her own. Branson tied for 44th, posting an 88-86=174 and two birdies.

Tech will kick off Tuesday's final round with a shotgun start beginning at 8:00 a.m. CT. 

File photo by Thomas Corhern