BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. -- Barry University junior Daniela Murray shot 72 to grab a share of the lead at the Florida Gulf Coast Eagle Invitational Sunday, and her teammates joined her at the top.
The Buccaneers shot 296 as a team to take a six-stroke lead into Monday's final round at Worthington Country Club. All five Barry players in the five-player scoring rotation shot in the 70s and are lumped in the top 20 in the eight-team, 47-player field. Paloma Vega, a freshman at Barry playing as an individual, shot 81, and is tied for 30th.
Murray shot par, and shares the tournament lead in par-5 scoring at 2-under. She finished the day with 14 pars, which is second behind West Florida's Elin Olson, whom Murray and FGCU's Briana Carlson share a 1-stroke lead over Barry sophomore Maria Paola Fiorio. Fiorio shot 1-over 73, making three birdies.
Fellow Bucs sophomore Nicky Ferre shot 3-over 75, and is tied for seventh. Ferre had four birdies, and is tied for the event lead with Carlson. Francesca Perini, whose 1-under par-3 scoring is tied with Ferre and two others for the best in the tournament field, shot 76. Perini is in a three-way tie for 11th.
Freshman Martina Bertuccioli is tied for 16th after shooting an opening-round 78.
West Florida is second, six strokes behind the Bucs. Florida Gulf Coast is third after shooting 15-over 303. Bethune-Cookman shot 308 to find its way to the fourth spot on the team leaderboard. Northwood (Fla.) shot 310, and is fifth.
The tournament, originally scheduled for a 54-hole event, was shortened to 36 holes after rain suspended play Sunday following the first of what was planned for 36 holes.