GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Senior Ciara Rattana shot a one-under par 71, while the Pioneers posted a team score of 298 to take the first round lead at the 2017 Bob Dibble Classic. The two-day, 36-hole event is being held at the par-72, 5,910-yard Link Hills Country Club.
The Pioneers have a 16-shot lead over Milligan who carded a team score of 314. Christian Brothers is third with 336 while the Tusculum B team is fourth with 346. Mars Hill is fifth with 349, while Brevard rounds out the team scoring with 356.
Rattana's 71 tied a Dibble Classic (formerly known as the Tusculum Fall Classic) record for lowest first round score matching the 2006 tally of TC Sports Hall of Famer Shannon Palenkas (Stone).
Rattana has a two shot lead over teammates Katie Tomassoni and Taylor White, who each shot one-over par 73 and are tied for second place. Milligan's Sarah Son is tied for fourth place with a four-over par 76, along with Megan Thompson of Spartanburg Methodist.
Tusculum sophomore Maggienella Basile is tied for 10th place with her 81, while junior Cydney Murrell is tied for 15th place with an 84.
The Tusculum B team was led in scoring by freshman Mackenzie Butler who shot an 84 and is tied for 15th. Junior Kelsey Haun is 19th with 85, while Sayre Hopper tallied an 88 and is tied for 22nd place. Junior Trista Holder is 25th with her 89, while rookie Meredith Barton rounds out the scoring with her 92 (T27).
Rattana was one off of her career round of 70 which was scored at last year's Flagler Fall Slam. Monday's 71 is tied for the eighth lowest score in school history. Tusculum's 298 is tied for the third lowest team score by the Pioneers and lowest ever by a TC team to open the season.
Tusculum is the defending two-time champion of this event and the Pioneers are in quest of its five fall home tournament title.
The final round will be played on Tuesday beginning at 10 a.m. with a shotgun start.
