Providence, RI --- Paced by senior Joe Belanger (Holden, MA), the Worcester State men's golf team placed 11th - just 40 strokes off the lead - to kick off their 2013 campaign on the first day of the Rhode Island College Spring Inviational at the Par 72 Triggs Memorial Golf Course.
The Lancers finished with a cumulative score of 348 as Middlebury was the leader after the opening round with a sum of 308.
Belanger handed in a card of 79 (+7) in a three-way tie for ninth, four strokes off of senior William Prince (N. Canaan, CT) of Middlebury, who fired a clubhouse leading score of 75 (+3).
Also leading the way for the Blue and Gold was freshman Jackson Davis (Spencer, MA) tied for 38th with an 86 (+14) and sophomore David Rixham (Northbridge, MA) was just one stroke off in a tie for 42nd (87, +15).
First-year classmates Zach Poirier (Sturbridge, MA) and Brendan Dugan (Sutton, MA) equaled 66th with a 96 (+24).
The final round of the Invitational will take place at Triggs tomorrow morning.