BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Lewis-Clark State College junior Juanita Villa fired a 3-over-par 76 to stand in second place after the first round of play on Monday in the Western Washington Invitational at the Bellingham Golf and Country Club. 

Villa was 4-over on the front nine with a 37, but rallied back with a 1-under 35 on the back to stand three shots behind the leader. The course played long after heavy rains a day earlier made for little or no bounce and roll in the fairways. 

Cortney Shrout had an 84 for LCSC, which was forced to play without Alana Norris, who became ill on the trip and had to withdraw during Monday’s round. 

The Warriors, the lone NAIA school in the seven-team tournament, are sixth overall, but just eight shots out of second place. The other six teams, all NCAA Division II schools, are led by Western Washington at 314, while St. Martin’s is tied with California State-Monterey Bay for second at 325. 

The final 18 holes will be played today. This is the final fall meet for the LCSC women.  

Team scores – 1, Western Washington 314. 2, tie, California State-Monterey Bay and St. Martin’s 325. 4, Grand Canyon 326. 5, Hawaii-Hilo 332. 6, Lewis-Clark State 333. 7, Chico State 340. 

LCSC scores – Juanita Villa 76, Cortney Shrout 84, Samara Kluever 86, Sue James 87, Alana Norris dnf.

Other LCSC scores – Niki Fisher 98.