On Feb. 7, the Eastern Michigan University mens' golf team competed in the first tournament of the season, the Earl Yestingmeier Match Play Tournament. The women’s team competed in Mid-American Conference Match Play at Lake Jovita Golf Course in Dade City, FL at Lakewood Ranch Golf and Country Club in Lakewood Ranch, FL.
The men's team went 2-0, defeating No. seven Xavier University 5-1 and the No. six University of Dayton 3.5-2.5. The Eagles won this event in 2015 and 2016.
Senior Cougar Collins defeated XU’s Michael Prebles with a 5&4. Sophomore Max Watson won over Mason Witt by the same margin.
Sophomore MJ Smith completed a 5&3 victory over Justin Gabbard.
Seniors Ty Celone and Zack Mason collected 3&2 over Jack Wertz and Nick Frey.
During the second half of the tourney, Collins completed a 5&3 win over Dayton’s Henry May, and Celone won a 3&1 over Blake Solomon.
Mason also had his second win of the day with a 1-up win over Hayden Zimmerer.
The women’s team beat No. 12 Ball State University after finishing tied in the first round. The tiebreaker went in Ball State’s favor when EMU halved with No. four University of Akron in the quarterfinals.
Freshman Alyssa DiMarcantonio finished 2-0 to lead EMU.
Junior Natai Apichonlati and freshman Kyleigh Dull went undefeated going 1-0-1.
DiMarcantonio won 7&5 over Ball State’s Dylann Armstrong. Dull completed a 3&2 over Morgan Lewis.
Apichonlati tied with Hadley Moritz. Sophia Wygonik and Anna Watson dropped their tilts.
In the finale, EMU battled against Akron with a result of 2-2-1, allowing the Zips to advance due to the margin of victories from the entire matchup.
DiMarcantonio completed a 7&6 over Akron’s Riley Dean and Apichonlati finished 1-up over Ivana Shah.
Dull tied with Jessica Hahn, while Wygonik and Watson came up short, 5&4 and 6&4.
The men’s team will compete next at the Wexton Plantation in Hilton Head, SC on Feb. 21. The women’s team will play in the Rio Verde Invitational in Rio Verde, AZ on Feb. 25.
