MGolf Drops Match Play Opener in Fla.

Feb. 9, 2015

DADE CITY, FLA. - The Seton Hall men's golf team dropped its first round match with Ball State at the Earl Yestingsmeier Match Play, but is leading Florida Atlantic in round two before it was suspended by rain.

Originally scheduled for a three-round event, the event will not crown a true champion as it will end after the second round once play resumes tomorrow. Should Seton Hall defeat Florida Atlantic in the second round, it will tie for fifth place. If the Owls come back to win, the Pirates will tie for eighth place.

The fourth-seeded Pirates faced fourth-seeded Ball State in the first round and lost, 4-to-2. Senior JT Harper (Pebble Beach, Calif.) and sophomore Lloyd Jefferson Go (Guadalupe Cebu City, Philippines were victories, but the remaining four in the Pirates' lineup fell victim to their Cardinals opponents.

Harper defeated Ball State's Michael VanDeventer, 4&1, but had to come back to do so. The senior found himself in a two-hole deficit after five, but by the eighth hole, had pulled even. Harper won the 12th hole to take his first lead of the match and never looked back. He went on to win holes 14, 15 and 17 to solidify his victory in 17 holes.

Go however, never trailed. The sophomore downed Zach Yinger, 4&2. Go took his first lead by winning holes five and six, but Yinger pulled even in hole nine. Go won hole 10 though to re-take the lead and victories on three consecutive holes, 14-16, made him a winner.

Sophomore Kevin O'Brien (Wexford, Pa.) narrowly lost his match with Ball State's James Blackwell, 1 up. O'Brien grabbed an early lead by winning hole seven, but Blackwell tied the match in hole nine and took the lead for good in hole 10. O'Brien kept it close, but couldn't manage to pull even.

Junior Ryan Snouffer (Sparta, N.J.) also dropped a hard-fought match. Playing in the Pirates' top lineup spot, he fell to McCormick Clouser, 2&1. Snouffer grabbed an early lead by winning the second hole, and the lead grew to two holes on two occasions, but Clouser fought back. Leading by one hole through 10, Snouffer dropped the next four holes. He cut into Clouser's lead by winning hole 15, but ultimately lost with one to play.

David Cha (Carrollton, Texas) dropped his match, 3&2, to Ball State's Johnny Watts. Cha dropped the first hole and couldn't draw even. Watts' lead grew to as many as five holes before the Seton Hall junior won #17 and #18 to cut his lead to three. Alas, the players tied the final five holes and Cha lost the match with two holes unplayed.

Junior Cory Wilson (Newton, N.J.) was a late scratch and therefore lost his match, 10&9, to Michael Makris.

With the team loss, the Pirates began their second round match with Florida Atlantic before the rain halted play. Seton Hall currently leads the Owls, 4-2, but none of the six matches have reached the half-way mark yet.

Go and Snouffer have commanding leads over their opponents at 4 up and 3 up respectively. Wilson is two up and O'Brien is 1 up. Cha is trailing by two holes, while Harper is trailing by three holes entering tomorrow's completion.

Live scoring of the event is available through BirdieFire by CLICKING HERE. Complete results of each day's events will be available following competition at SHUpirates.com.