By Blair Cash

PORTLAND, ORE. -- Led by a three-under-par 69 by Matt Kitto, the Puget Sound Loggers took a big step toward a successful defense of their Northwest Conference Men's Golf Fall Classic title by shooting an even-par 288 to take a 10-stroke lead on the first day of play in the 2011 Classic Saturday here at the Heron Lakes Golf Course.

Kitto's score was not the best of the day, however, as Dustin Hegge of Pacific Lutheran University carded a four-under-par 68. His score helped the Lutes to a third-place standing with a 306.

After UPS, the Linfield College Wildcats are second at 298, followed by PLU, the Whitworth University Pirates at 312, the Whitman College Missionaries at 315, the Pacific University Boxers at 317, the George Fox University Bruins at 322, and the Willamette University Bearcats at 327. The Lewis & Clark College Pioneers had two players as individuals but no team score.

Also shooting sub-par rounds were Alex Fitch of Linfield and Nick Kelley of Puget Sound, each at 71. Adam Bean of UPS and Ryan Nolan of Linfield were tied for fifth with 73s.

The final round of the Men's Fall Classic, which is being played on the par-72, 6,491-yard Great Blue course, gets under way Sunday morning at 10:00 a.m. The Fall Classic counts as one quarter of the score toward the overall conference title, with the Spring Classic as another quarter and the NWC Championship Tournament as one half of the total team score.