KEENE, N.H. – The Keene State College golf teams were in separate states in New England on Sunday, with the men playing to a fourth-place team finish at the Vermont State University Castleton Invitational in Rutland, Vt. and the women a second-place finish at the USM Husky Invitational in Portland, Maine.
The men were fourth after the first day of the invitational and stayed steady in that position after carding a 331 as a team on the second day. They finished 17 strokes behind Norwich University for third and were 31 shots better than the host Spartans, who finished fifth of the sixth scoring teams (Vermont State University Johnson sent three golfers). New England College won as a team with a 609 (302, 307), with Clarkson University finishing second ten shots behind. Ryan Makowski of Clarkson was the individual medalist, shooting a 73 (+3) both days, one shot better than his teammate Eric Spoth and NEC's Timothy Carlson.
Aidan Davis paced Keene State's group, moving up two spots on Sunday after carding an 80 which included birdies on No. 10 and No. 17. He finished plus-19 overall in the tournament.
Jaxson Roenick and
Sean Bonneau each finished plus-21, while Ace Chancey was plus-35 and Matt Bryant plus-37. Chancey had three birdies on the front nine in the second round.
"We played better, but unfortunately everybody had a really bad hole that ruined their scoring today," said Keene State head coach Jeff Timmer, referring to a seven, two eights, a nine, and a ten on various holes, one each from each of the Owl contingent. "Progress is there. We need to try to take the positives out of this weekend as we head toward our conference championship."
On the women's side in Maine,
Madison Mousley finished third individually out of 26 golfers with an 85 (+13), four strokes behind the winner Charlotte Blanchard and two behind second-place Lindsay Cote of Husson University (+11). The Owl sophomore shot a 39 on the front nine, including a birdie on the first hole and four pars. Ultimately, the separator between her and an individual medal finish came on No. 16, when Blanchard finished with a pair and Mousley an eight.
Abby Weiterman finished tenth at plus-25,
Jodi Mercier 13th at plus-31,
Laura Donahue 16th at plus-36, and
Marley Ducharme tied for 21st at plus-46. Weiterman finished with five pars and Mercier birdied the par four No. 7.
Husson took the team title, finishing at plus-79. KSC was plus-105, host University of Southern Maine plus-124, and the University of New England plus-157.
The Owls return home to host the Keene State Invitational at the Keene Country Club this weekend. The men tee off on Friday, September 27 at 10:00 a.m. and the women on Sunday, September 29 at 12:00 p.m. In the meantime, the men will make a midweek trip to Westfield, Mass. for the Brett Williamson Invitational on Wednesday (September 25) for a 10:00 a.m. start.
