Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Nick Vareli finished third and teammate Dylan Goodwin tied for seventh to lead Western Washington to a fourth-place team finish at the Cal State East Bay Pioneer Shootout Tuesday at the Hiddenbrooke Golf Club in Vallejo, Calif.

It is the first time this season that the Vikings, ranked No.8 in the latest Golf Coaches Association of America/NCAA Division II Top 25, had finished lower than third in a tournament.

Host Cal State East Bay entered Tuesday's play in second place, seven shots behind leader Grand Canyon. The Pioneers not only overcame that with a final-round 306, but won by seven strokes over the runner-up Antelopes 907-914.

Varelia shot 78 Tuesday to finish third at 10-over par 226. Goodwin shot 82 to tie for seventh at 228. Western Washington had a final round of 313 to finish with a 919 total.

Simon Fraser, meanwhile, placed 10th in the Point Loma Invitational at Steele Canyon Golf Club in Jamul, Calif. The Clan had a final round of 308, its best of the tournament, to finish with a 940 total.

Michael Belle led SFU with a 224 total to finish 13th. Belle carded a final round of even par 71 Tuesday.

 Cal State East Bay Pioneer Shootout (Mar. 5-6 at Hiddenbrooke Golf Course, Vallejo, CA): Team Scores - 1. CSU East Bay 907 (299-302-306); 2. Grand Canyon 914 (288-306-320); 3. CSU Monterey Bay 918 (313-303-302); 4. Western Washington 919 (302-304-313); 5. Sonoma State 927 (304-310-313). Individuals (Par 72, 6,765 Yards) - 1. Chris Herzog, CSUEB, 221 (72-71-78); 3. Nick Varelia, WWU, 226 (70-78-78); 7. Dylan Goodwin, WWU, 228 (72-74-82); 12. Jake Webb, WWU, 230 (81-75-74); 35. Brian Barhanovich, WWU, 236 (79-77-80); 52. Evan Needham, WWU, 244 (84-79-81).

Point Loma Invitational (Mar. 5-6 at Steele Canyon GC, Jamul, CA): Team Scores - 1. Cal State San Marcos 880 (299-286-295); 2. Point Loma Nazarene 882 (295-290-297); 3. Victoria, B.C. 891 (299-297-295); 4. Wayland Baptist, Tex. 899 (302-294-303); 5. Our Lady of the Lake 904 (296-308-300); 10. Simon Fraser 940 (311-321-308). Individuals (Par 71, 6,834 Yards) - 1. Steven Watson, Cal Baptist, 214 (72-70-73); 13. Michelle Belle, SFU, 224 (76-77-71); 44. Calum Miller, SFU, 238 (75-81-82); 45. John Mlikotic, SFU, 239 (84-82-73); 61. T.J. McColl, SFU, 247 (82-83-82); 62. Jordan Melanson, SFU, 249 (78-81-90).