Falcons Capture MAC Match Play Championship in Dramatic Fashion

Tuesday, February 12

Dade City, Fla.

All Day

Bowling Green State University

Mid-American Match Play

February 12, 2013 | Men's Golf

By: by BGSU Athletic Communications

The Bowling Green State University men's golf team rallied back from a late deficit to capture the Mid-American Conference Match Play Championship, downing the top-seeded Ball State Cardinals 3.5-2.5 in Dade City, Fla.

With the score tied at 2.0-2.0 things looked bleak for the Orange and Brown. Newcomer Ryan Triller was “1 Down”, with two holes remaining and Joe Cooper was “1 Down” heading to the 18th hole. The Falcons needed a halve and a win from the duo to capture the championship, because a 3-3 tie would give the win to Ball State (owned tie breaker).

The comeback began with Cooper recording a birdie on the 18th hole, picking up an all important halve and, getting the score to 2.5-2.5. The championship now depended on Triller, who was competing with the Falcons for the first time in his career. Triller birdied the 17th to get the match to all square and then picked up a par on the final hole to begin the celebration for BGSU.

Prior to the dramatic finish Wes Gates (1 UP) picked up a win, while Charlie Olson and Holden Pahr each halved their matches. Pahr's comeback was one for the ages, winning the last three holes to get the match back to all square.

Overall the Falcons went 10-3-5 in 18 individual matches. Triller and Olson went 2-0-1, Pahr was 1-0-2, Gates and Melvin were 2-1-0 and Cooper was 1-1-1. Last season, in this same event the Falcons finished last and picked up only three individual wins.

BGSU will have some time to celebrate this win as they won't return to action until March 4-5 when they compete in the Samford Intercollegiate in Samford, Ala.

Round 1 Results vs. Toledo
Otto Black FR Toledo -- WINS 2 UP
Wes Gates SR Bowling Green

Jamie Richardson SO Toledo -- ALL SQUARE
Ryan Triller SO Bowling Green

Oliver Holtsberry JR Toledo -- WINS 5 and 4
Joe Cooper SO Bowling Green

Mike Lancaster SO Toledo
Charlie Olson SR Bowling Green -- WINS 5 and 4

Patrick Cermak SO Toledo
Chris Melvin JR Bowling Green -- WINS 7 and 5

Thomas Shindler FR Toledo -- ALL SQUARE
Holden Pahr FR Bowling Green

Round 2 Results vs. Northern Illinois
Griffin Bauman Northern Illinois
Wes Gates SR Bowling Green -- WINS 5 and 3

Ryan Triller SO Bowling Green -- WINS 4 and 3
Nick Schiavi SO Northern Illinois

Joe Cooper SO Bowling Green -- WINS 5 and 3
Nick Huggins SO Northern Illinois

Charlie Olson SR Bowling Green -- WINS 3 and 2
Shawn Foley JR Northern Illinois

Chris Melvin JR Bowling Green -- WINS 3 and 1
Matt Gorman SR Northern Illinois

Holden Pahr FR Bowling Green
Kurtis Luedtke SR Northern Illinois -- WINS 4 and 2

Round 3 Results vs. Ball State
Tyler Merkel JR Ball State
Wes Gates SR Bowling Green -- WINS 1 UP

Joe Gasser SR Ball State
Ryan Triller SO Bowling Green -- WINS 1 UP

Alex Stinson SR Ball State -- ALL SQUARE
Joe Cooper SO Bowling Green

Brodie Williams SR Ball State -- ALL SQUARE
Charlie Olson SR Bowling Green

McCormick Clouser SO Ball State -- WINS 2 UP
Chris Melvin JR Bowling Green

Tony Lazzara SR Ball State -- ALL SQUARE
Holden Pahr FR Bowling Green