Results - PDF

SANTA ROSA, Calif. – The Cal State East Bay men's golf team turned in an impressive performance at the Sonoma State Invite this week, finishing fourth out of 13 teams. The Pioneers just missed shooting under par as a team, but their overall score of 867 (+3) was only eleven strokes behind tournament champion Hawaii-Hilo and seven strokes behind the second-place hosts Sonoma State. Individually, East Bay had four of the top 19 golfers.

Freshman Matt Lee made a huge splash in his first tournament as a Pioneer. Competing unattached, he shot the lowest score on the team and finished in fourth place overall. Lee's 68 in the first round was the best single-round score for any Pioneer, and his overall total of 211 (-5) was just one stroke behind the co-leaders. Lee shot seven strokes under par on par-fives, tied for the best mark in the field. The freshman also added an eagle for good measure.

As for the team competition, East Bay managed a fourth-place finish thanks to a trio of Pioneers who finished tied for 16th overall. Seniors Chris Herzog, Blake Ahlin, and A.J. Maxedon all posted scores of 217 (+1). Herzog shot the low round with a second-round 69, highlighted by an eagle, but he sandwiched it between two 74's. Ahlin was consistent throughout, putting up 73-72-72. Maxedon, meanwhile, struggled early with a first-round 75, but showed improvement in each round, finishing with 72 and 70.

The first round was also the problem for sophomore A.J. Hebert, whose 78 was the worst single-round score for the Pioneers. Hebert matched the rest of the team's solid play in the latter rounds, however, turning in rounds of 71 and 72 to finish at 221 (+5).

Junior Sam Lavelle tied for the lowest first-round score on the team with a 73. He followed that up with 76 and 74 to finish just behind Hebert at 223 (+7). Overall, there were no really ugly numbers for the Pioneers. Hebert and Lavelle both finished in the top half of the field, placing 28th and 34th, respectively.

Tournament champion Hawai'I-Hilo overcame a 10-point deficit in the final round to defeat second-place Sonoma State by four strokes. UHH's Jamie Hall took home the individual title after winning a two-hole playoff with San Francisco's Emil Liljeroth and Sonoma State's Matt Medeiros. The three players tied at 210 (-6), just one stroked ahead of the Pioneers' Lee.

Cal State East Bay competes in another bay area tournament next week. The men will trade places with the Pioneer women and travel to the Bayonet Golf Course in Seaside for the Otter Invitational.