STOWE, Vt. – The Castleton University men's golf team opened the season with a first-place result at the NVU-Johnson Invitational on Thursday, posting a team score of 311 to lead the five-team field at Stowe Country Club.

Castleton bested second-place Gordon by just one stroke, as the Fighting Scots carded a 312 as a team.
 
Nick Ojala led Castleton and tied for second overall with a 74, going one-under par on the back nine. Brandon Picard fired a career-best 76, and Brady Hathorn carded an 80 in his Spartan debut. Both Jason Ryan and Andrew Stefura shot 81 on the day to round out Castleton's lineup.
 
NVU-Johnson's Adiance Cheromiah led the field with a one-over 73, followed by Ojala and Gordon's Owen Ingram at 74.
 
Castleton returns to the course at the Duke Nelson Invitational on September 10 and 11, hosted by Middlebury College at the Ralph Mhyre Golf Course.