SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Florida Gulf Coast's women's golf team sits ninth after the first day of the Fighting Irish Classic at Warren Golf Course. The Eagles posted rounds of 295 and 300 in Saturday's 36 holes for a total of 27-over 595.
 
FGCU trails leader Purdue by 32 shots and sits two back of eighth-place Furman at the par-71, 6,062-yard layout. The final round starts Sunday, Sept. 27 at 8:30 a.m.
 
Sydney Deal leads the Eagles in a tie for 10th at 2-over 144. She opened with a 2-under 69, the Eagles' low round of the day. Deal turned in a 1-under 34 on the front nine with a birdie at the par-5 fifth. On the back nine she birdied Nos. 10, 11 and 16 around bogeys at 12 and 13 for a 1-under 35. She followed with a 4-over 75 in round two.
 
Sarah Hyten is tied for 20th at 5-over 147 after rounds of 72 and 75. She birdied Nos. 2, 4 and 5 on the way to a 1-under 34 on the front nine in round one. In round two, she played the back nine in even-par 36 with birdies at 15 and 17.
 
Annie Yost is tied for 40th at 11-over 153 after rounds of 76 and 77, with birdies at Nos. 10 and 17 in round one and No. 5 in round two. Charlene Lamb sits tied for 46th at 12-over 154 after a 78 and a 76. She turned in an even-par 35 on the front nine in round two, closing that nine with a birdie at the par-3 ninth. Gia Culler-Guerra is tied for 52nd at 13-over 155. She improved by seven shots from an opening 81 to a 74 in round two, recording four back-nine birdies at Nos. 10, 11, 15 and 18.
 
As a team, FGCU has the fourth-most birdies in the field with 22 and the eighth-most pars with 106. Hyten is tied for third-most birdies in the field with eight, while Culler-Guerra and Deal are tied for 27th with four apiece. Deal is tied for sixth-most pars in the field with 26, Yost is tied for 26th with 22, and Lamb is tied for 36th with 21.
 
"Sydney set the tone for us this morning with that 69, and Sarah continues to make a lot of birdies," head coach Shannon Sykora said. "We left some shots out there in the afternoon, so we want to come out tomorrow, clean up the mistakes and finish strong."
 
FGCU Scores:
T10. Sydney Deal - 144 (+2) (69-75)
T20. Sarah Hyten - 147 (+5) (72-75)
T40. Annie Yost - 153 (+11) (76-77)
T46. Charlene Lamb - 154 (+12) (78-76)
T52. Gia Culler-Guerra - 155 (+13) (81-74)

Team Leaderboard:
1. Purdue - 563 (5)
2. Louisville - 582 (+14)
3. Xavier - 583 (+15)
4. North Florida - 587 (+19)
5. Notre Dame - 588 (+20)
6. Wisconsin - 591 (+23)
7. Ball State - 592 (+24)
8. Furman - 593 (+25)
9. Florida Gulf Coast - 595 (+27)
10. High Point - 604 (+36)
11. Toledo - 616 (+48)
12. Youngstown State - 619 (+51)
13. Morehead State - 629 (+61)
14. Stonehill - 645 (+77)
 
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