SEASIDE, Calif. – Alex Darwin shot a team-best 80 for 8-over par as the University of Colorado Colorado Springs finished No. 15 after the first round in a strong field at the Otter Invitational at Black Horse Golf Course. The Mountain Lions turned in a team score of 333 for 45-over par.

Darwin had the eighth-best score among the 96 golfers on the back nine with 2-over par. She hit for par on 10 of today's 18 holes and birdied on hole 18. Darwin is tied for No. 30 in the overall standings and is two strokes out of her third top-10 finish of the season.

Raquell Castillo led the team with two birdies and finished one stroke behind Darwin with an 81 today. She recorded her birdies on the par-4 holes 11 and 16 after she started her round on hole 10. Forre Zook turned in an 83 to match her best first round score of her career, and Timberlee McNair rounded out the UCCS score with an 89.

Six of the 18 teams came into the tournament ranked in the top 25 of the GolfStat rankings, and seven more teams were ranked 26 through 50. The Mountain Lions are four strokes behind No. 38 Colorado Mesa and 12 strokes out of the top 10.

UCCS will be paired with Angelo State and Mesa in tomorrow's final round. The teams will start on holes 9 through 11 at 9:15 a.m., MDT.