Gulls Finish Tied for Second at Bowdoin Invitational; Led by Viola and Teal

BRUNSWICK, Maine-  Competing in their first event of the season following their historic 2013 run, the Endicott golf team got the 2014 season off to a quick start by tying for second place overall, just three strokes off of the winning score.  The Gulls finished with a score of 606, tying them with NCAA Division I Providence, and just three strokes back of NESCAC powerhouse Middlebury.  Endicott now has a week of practice before heading to Vermont to compete in the Middlebury Invitational at the Ralph Myhre Golf Course.

The Gulls were led by a pair of junior standouts in Alex Viola (Brunswick, Maine) and Austin Teal (Loudonville, N.Y.).  Viola, who came on strong at the end of 2013 and finish seventh at the CCC Championships, recorded a two day total of 145 (72, 73), just one stroke back of medalist honors.  Teal, who finished tied for ninth at the NCAA DIII Championships last season after a magical run, finished two strokes behind his teammate and logged a 147 (72, 75) to finish fourth overall.  Both golfers were tied for first after day one as they shot even rounds of 72.  The Gulls as a team shot identical rounds of 303 on days one and two.

Drew Benshoff (Concord, Mass.) and Jonny Fritz (Grafton, Mass.) finished 15th and 16th after recording two day totals of 156 and 158 respectively.  Both freshmen were competing in their first collegiate competitions and each improved his second day round by cutting two strokes off his first day's score.  Benshoff recorded rounds of 79 and 77 while Fritz shot 80 and 78.  Rounding out the scoring for the Gulls was sophomore Dan Negus (Pembroke, Mass.) as he shot a two day total of 164 (81, 83).  Negus finished in the top half of the field, finishing tied for 32nd out of 64 golfers.

Endicott's score of 606 tied them with Providence and put them at least 29 strokes ahead of the nearest competitor in Bates that recorded a 635.  The Gulls are now off until Saturday when they compete in the Middlebury Invitational.