Neal in Second After Opening Round of HCAC Championships

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Jace Neal opened the 2011 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Men's Golf Championships with an 82 on Saturday at the University Club of Kentucky's Big Blue Course. Neal will enter Sunday's second round just two strokes off the lead.

Neal is no stranger to the top of the HCAC Championships leaderboard, after finishing ninth at the 2010 event and missing the All-HCAC cut by just three shots at the 72-hole tournament.

Mike Ross backed up Neal's strong first round by shooting DC's second-best score on Saturday with a 90. Ross will enter Sunday in 25th position, while Matt Gehring will start in a tie for 28th after carding a 92 over his first 18 holes.

The trio led Defiance to a tie for fifth in the team standings with a 358, putting them even with Anderson and ahead of Rose-Hulman (359) and Manchester (372). MSJ and Transylvania both tallied a 334 to tie for first, while Hanover and Franklin were next with a 342.

Action will resume at the HCAC Championships on Sunday at 8:30 am.