CHINO HILLS, Calif. — Alec Spencer fired a 2-under 70 and the rest of the No. 22 La Verne men's golf team played with steadiness to climb to the top of the leaderboard after the first round of the 2017 SCIAC Championships on Sunday at Los Serranos Golf Club.

Spencer's score was good for a tie for the individual lead. Aaron DiGiamarino, Austin Matzaganian, Hisham Hussein and Conner Davis each shot an identical 3-over 75 back up Spencer and the Leopards shot 295 as a team.

Redlands also posted a team score of 295 to share the lead with La Verne and stays 20 shots back of the Leopards in the overall standings.

With a good showing in the first round, the Leopards extended their overall lead to 12 strokes over second-place Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, who shot 299 as a team.

The Leopards sank 15 birdies as a team. Davis and Spencer were two of only three players who shot under-par on par-4 holes. DiGiamarino was 3-under on par-5 holes.

The Leopards will pair up with Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, Redlands and Cal Lutheran on Monday. Jason Brown will lead off the action for La Verne at 11:06 a.m.