HAMPDEN, MA – Rider University men's golfer
Jake Sollon (Venetia, PA/Peters Township) was tied for the individual lead through 15 holes in Tuesday's final round, but both he and the Rider University men's golf team finished fourth at the UConn Invitational at GreatHorse. The Broncs (897, +33) shot 308 (+20) on the day to slip from third to fourth. Columbia (871, +7), Lafayette (885, +21) and UConn (886, +22) finished ahead of the Broncs.
Sollon (72-71-74-217, -1) entered the final three holes in a four-way tie for first with the other two players in his pairing – Lafayette's Martin Vanhaelst and Columbia's Nathan Han – as well as Hartford's Ryan Tomaso. However, Columbia's Alvin Kwak, who was a stroke back of the group, birdied two of the final three holes to earn medalist honors. Han carded par's in each of the final three holes to join Tomaso, who was already in the clubhouse, in a tie for second. Sollon carded a double bogey on the 18
th to slip to a tie for fourth, as did Vanhaelst, whose bogey on 16 pushed him to sixth.
Connor Bekefi (Toms River, NJ/Toms River North) was the Broncs' second-best finisher on the day at 77 (+5), followed by
Austin Devereux (Brielle, NJ/Manasquan) at 78 (+6) and
Nathan Bazant (Venetia, PA/Trinity [California (PA)]) and
Thomas Durkin (Suffield, CT/Suffield) at 79 (+7).
QUOTES & NOTES
"Just a terribly disappointing finish to what was a really solid week. We just need to keep doing what we're doing and giving ourselves chances." –
Rider Head Coach Jason Barry
- Sollon had a team-high three birdies on his round, all within the first eight holes, including the first two holes.
- Durkin had two birdies, while Bazant, Bekefi and Devereux each birdied one hole.
- Rider was the top-finishing MAAC program for the tournament, ahead of Siena (910, T-7th), Saint Peter's (922, 12th) and Canisius (924, 13th).
- Sollon's team-leading stroke average is now 71.3.
UP NEXT
The Broncs return to action Sunday, when they begin play at the Matthews Auto Collegiate Invitational, hosted by Binghamton University at The Links at Hiawatha Landing in Apalachin, NY.
