Top-ranked Duke finished its first day at the California Guadalajara Invitational in typically strong fashion and currently sits in third place.
The Blue Devils posted a 5-over-par 293 behind the performances of its three top-five players-No. 1 Amanda Blumenherst, No. 2 Anna Grzebien, and No. 5 Liz Janangelo. They are just two strokes behind leader UCLA, the second-ranked team in the country.
Grzebien led the way by notching five birdies en route to a score of 2-under par and a tie for second place.
Blumenherst is currently in an eight-way tie for eighth place after carding a 73.
Janangelo flew out of the gates, posting a 34 on the front nine. She faltered on her way in, however, notching a total of 40 on the back nine, leaving her in a tie for 16th place.
As a team, the Blue Devils recorded 18 total birdies in the first round, the best mark of the 11-team field.
Freshman Jennie Lee rounded out Duke's scoring with a 76, a total that places her in a tie for 30th.
After overcoming a four-stroke deficit in the final round to win the Mason Rudolph Classic Sep. 25th, this Blue Devil squad is no stranger to playing from behind.
The team continues its quest for its fourth win of the year Tuesday in the second of three rounds in Guadalajara, Mexico.
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