Tuesday, May 21, 2013
HERSHEY, Pa. - Western Washington shot a team score of 312 Tuesday, 20 strokes higher than its first round score, and fell from a tie for fourth place into a tie for 12th at the NCAA Division II Men’s Golf National Championships being held at the Hershey Country Club East Course.
The Vikings must move into the top eight following Wednesday’s round in order to advance to match-medal play. The quarterfinals and semifinals are Thursday followed by the final round for the national title Friday.
“Nothing went well for us today, but we have a chance for redemption,” said WWU coach Steve Card (20th year). “Eighth place is essentially first.”
“We should play in the morning tomorrow, which means we can go out before the heat and post a number to put the pressure on. We just have to go out and play and then do some scoreboard watching.”
WWU, ranked No.6 in the final Golf Coaches Athletic Association Top 25 Poll, is tied with Central Missouri and Grand Canyon. CMU had a 297 total Tuesday, while Grand Canyton carded a 302 team score on the 7,061 yard layout.
No.2 rated Barry, Fla., which led by six shots following Monday’s opening round, increased its lead to 10 strokes, shooting 288 for a 572 total. No.1 Nova Southeastern, Fla., moved up two spots to second at 582 after recording a 290 team score. Florida Southern is third at 587. It shot 293 Tuesday.
South Carolina Aiken is fourth (590), followed by Lynn, Fla., (591), Cal State Monterey Bay (594), Cal State Stanislaus (596) and Central Oklahoma (597).
WWU will enter the third round with just seven strokes separating it from eighth place.
Jake Webb (Sr., Issaquah/Skyline) (146) and Evan Needham (Sr., Lynden/Meridian) (150) each shot 4-over par 75 for WWU. Webb fell six places into a tie for 15th and Needham moved up seven spots into a tie for 34th.
The other three Vikings shot rounds of 80 or more. Dylan Goodwin (Sr., Mukilteo/Kamiak) is tied for 75th at 156 after carding an 82. Kyle Schrader (So., Olympia/Tumwater) had an 85 and is tied for 80th at 157 with teammate Mark Strickland (So., Mukilteo/Kamiak) who had an 80.
Taking over the medalist lead at 4-under 138 was Rob Damschen from Cal State Stanislaus. He holds a one-shot advantage over Matt Atkins from South Carolina Aiken. Damschen had a 68 and Atkins had a 69 Tuesday.
It is the second straight NCAA II national appearance for WWU, which placed ninth last year, and its eighth trip overall. The Vikings tied for eighth in 2008, placed ninth in 2004 and in 2005, 11th in 2003, tied for sixth in 2000 and finished 11th in 1999.