WESTFIELD, Mass. – A new-look group of five helped the Keene State College men's golf team combine for a team score of 329 as the Owls competed at the Brett Williamson Invitational hosted by Westfield State University at the Tekoa Country Club on Tuesday.

Senior Sean McCaffrey led the way with an 80 (+9), including five pars and a birdie on the front nine where he finished with a 39 (+3).  Sean McBride, also on the men's ice hockey team, and Ben Fecteau followed closely behind with scores of 81, while Matt Bryant rounded out the counted scorers with an 81.  McBride was making his collegiate debut on the links, and after going three over on the opening three holes, was only seven over on the final 15 holes including nine pars and one birdie (on the 486-yard Par 5 fourth hole).  At one point on the back nine, he parred six consecutive holes.  Fecteau recorded pars on half of the course, also shooting seven over after he was three over on the first two.  Bradley Lehtonen, although his score of 88 did not count, had a team-high two birdies on the first and eighth holes.

KSC finished sixth as a team with their score of 329 (+45), though the second through sixth place scores were separated by just 13 strokes.  Nichols College took the team title with a 299 and had the top three finishers, including individual medalists Nick White and Cam Desante, who each finished with a 73 (+2).

"I am proud of the way the team played," said Owls head coach Jeff Timmer.  "I always say if we keep our score around 320 we can be competitive and they did a good job of that today."

McBride, Fecteau, Bryant, and Lehtonen were all making their season debuts.

Keene State finished 16 strokes better than their finish at the same event last year.

The Owls are right back at it Thursday (September 25) at 9:30 a.m. when they host their own invitational at the Keene Country Club.