JEKYLL ISLAND, Ga. -- Junior Lauren Sims (E) is just four strokes off the lead after the first 18 holes of the Jekyll Island Women's Collegiate to lead the Christopher Newport women's golf team on the first of three days in Georgia. 

The Captains are tied for 20th as a team in the 24-team field with a first-round 338. Sims fired an Even par 72 to lead the way while senior Shreya Ganta (+4) shot a 76. Elena Rezac (+19) and Cameron Marshall (+27) rounded out the counting scores for the Captains on the first day of the 54-hole tournament. 

Sims matched her career-low round with an evan par 72 to finish the first round in a four-way tie for eighth place. Playing on the 5,600-yard layout at the Indian Mound Golf Course, Sims birdied twice on the front nine and once more on the back while scoring 12 pars in the round. Her first birdie came on the 344-yard par 4 fourth hole before dropping back under par with a three on the 310-yard par 4 eighth. A bogey slipped Sims back to Even but only for a moment as she fired a dart at the green on 12 for a short birdie putt  on the 112-yard par three.

Sims ranked second in the 120-player field in Par 4 scoring on Friday, averaging 3.80 (-2) behind only tournament leader Rylee Suttor (Centre). 

Shreya Ganta got off to a slow start, falling to four-over par through her first six holes. The veteran rallied for a strong finish, however, and scored par or better in nine of her last ten holes. With the run at the end, which included a birdie on the 320-yard par 4 finishing hole, Ganta moved up to a tie for 32nd on the individual leaderboard. 

Rezac picked up par on three holes in Friday's round and Marshall was even on a pair. Hannah Bristow also fired a couple of pars in the round 

Christopher Newport will be among the last on the course for round two on Saturday. The Captains are scheduled to tee off from hole 10 starting at 1:00 pm, playing with Sewanee and Denison.