UMSL freshman Ian McCrary tied his match with Oklahoma Christian’s Oskari Nikku Thursday in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II Men’s Golf Championship. The Tritions dropped the other four matches and finished tied for fifth in the tournament, matching the best finish in school history.

Men’s Golf
UMSL matched its best finish in school history by tying for fifth at the NCAA Division II Men’s Golf Championship at TPC Michigan in suburban Detroit. The Tritons, who clawed back from 11th place after two rounds of stroke play and posted the best third-round score of the tournament to finish in a tie for fifth on Wednesday, couldn’t keep the momentum going during match play Thursday. Coach Troy Halterman‘s team dropped four of five matches and settled for a tie in the other against No. 4 seed Oklahoma Christian. Freshman Ian McCrary secured the only half point for UMSL when he tied Oskari Nikku as both shot rounds of 79. Joel Sylven, who won the individual title on Wednesday, lost his match by one shot against Alejandro Armijo. Senior Reilly Ahearn also lost his match by won shot while teammates Nick Hedberg and Juan Antonio Padilla lost by four and nine shots respectively. Oklahoma Christian went on to knock off top-seeded Central Missouri but lost to Lee in the championship match. UMSL, which has qualified for the NCAA Division II Men’s Golf Championship 12 times, previously tied for fifth in 2013.