LEBANON, Pa. – The West Liberty University men's golf team found itself in a tie for 19th place here Thursday as the opening round of the 2023 NCAA Division II Atlantic/East Super Regional concluded at the Iron Valley Golf Club.

    Coach Thadd Obecny's Hilltoppers posted a 29-over-par score of 317 over the challenging 6,636-yard, par-72 layout. While that tied Franklin Pierce (N.H.) for the highest score of the day, the Black and Gold was only 20 shots off the lead and 11 strokes away from the top 10 in the tightly-packed field.

    Adelphi grabbed the first-day lead with a 9-over-par 297, one shot better than Le Moyne and three ahead of third-place Charleston. Gannon (301) and Davis & Elkins (302) rounded out the top five.

    Senior standout Alex Easthom was low man for the Hilltoppers with a 3-over-par 75. Bo Orecchio was three shots back at 78. Donte Grappuso of St. Thomas Aquinas led the medal chase at 3-under-par 69.

    Action resumes with Round Two on Friday morning. The Hilltoppers begin teeing off at 11:40 a.m.