Rockets Advance to Championship of Earl Yestingsmeier Match Play Event

Monday, February 12

Dade City, Fla.

All Day

University of Toledo

Earl Yestingsmeier Match Play

Sophomore Joe Bryce and the Rockets will face Miami (Ohio) in tomorrow morning's championship match.

Photo by: Toledo Athletics

Rockets Advance to Championship of Earl Yestingsmeier Match Play Event

2/12/2018 9:52:00 PM | Men's Golf

DADE CITY, Fla. – Toledo posted a 1-0-1 mark on Monday at Ball State's seventh-annual Earl Yestingsmeier Match Play tournament in its initial spring event of the 2018 campaign. The No. 3-seed Rockets posted a victory this morning over No. 6-seed DePaul before squeaking past No. 2-seed Eastern Michigan by virtue of a tiebreaker. UT will face No. 1-seed Miami (Ohio) in tomorrow's championship match at the par-72, 7,153-yard Lake Jovita South Golf Course.

"I'm very proud of the grit and determination that our guys played with today," first-year head coach Jeff Roope said. "Their ability to remain even-keeled was key to our success, regardless of whether they were on top of their game or working out some kinks. Our continued growth as a team will be ultimately good for our program."

Toledo opened play this morning with a 4-2 triumph over the Blue Demons. Sophomores Joe Bryce (2&1) and Thomas Thurloway (4&2) were victorious at No. 1 and 2 in the Rockets' lineup, while juniors Duncan McNeill (4&3) and Spencer Shoemaker (2&1) notched wins at No. 4 and 6.

Both UT and EMU came away with three victories in their semifinal matchup, but the Rockets advanced thanks to winning their matches in one fewer hole. Both teams had a pair of 3&2 wins, while Toledo had a 2&1 win (17 holes) and EMU had a 2-up victory (18 holes). Bryce, Shoemaker and Thurloway each posted their second wins of the day to lead the Midnight Blue and Gold.

The Rockets' championship match vs. the RedHawks will begin with an 8:30 a.m. shotgun start with live stats available at golfstatresults.com.

Schools are competing in teams of six with the seeds determined by their current GolfStat rankings. Each of the six matches is worth one point to the winner. If the competitors end up all-square after 18 holes, each school received ½ point. The school with the most points after the six matches wins.

Unlike stroke play, in which the unit of scoring is the total number of strokes taken over one or more rounds of golf, match play scoring consists of individual holes won, halved or lost. On each hole, the most that can be gained is one point. Golfers play as normal, counting the strokes taken on a given hole. The golfer with the lowest score on a given hole receives one point. If the golfers tie, then the hole is halved. Also, once a player is "up" more holes than there are holes remaining to play the match is over.

Round 1
#3 TOLEDO def. #6 DePaul, 4-2
1. Joe Bryce (UT) def. Joe McCarthy (DU), 2 & 1
2. Thomas Thurloway (UT) def. Freddy Thomas (DU), 4 & 2
3. Bobby Thomas (DU) def. Stephen Watts (UT), 3 & 2
4. Duncan McNeill (UT) def. Ronnie Griggs (DU), 4 & 3
5. Colin Joseph (UT) def. Garett Buckley (DU), 2 & 1
6. Spencer Shoemaker (UT) def. Carlo Antonio Gatmayan (DU), 2 & 1

#1 Miami def. #8 Loyola (Ill.), 5-1
#2 Eastern Michigan def. #7 Ohio, 4-2
#4 Ball State def. #5 Drake, 5-1

Round 2 (Championship Bracket)
#3 TOLEDO vs. #2 Eastern Michigan, halved 3-3 – Toledo Advanced on Tiebreaker (Won match in one fewer hole)
1. Joe Bryce (UT) def. Beau Breault (EMU), 3 & 2
2. Thomas Thurloway (UT) def. Nic Ross (EMU), 2 & 1
3. Cougar Collins (EMU) def. Stephen Watts (UT), 2 UP
4. Zach Sudinsky (EMU) def. Duncan McNeill (UT), 3 & 2
5. Ty Celone (EMU) def. Colin Joseph (UT), 3 & 2
6. Spencer Shoemaker (UT) def. Tyler Lewis (EMU), 3 & 2

#1 Miami def. #4 Ball State, 4-2

Round 2 (Consolation Bracket)
#5 Drake def. #8 Loyola (Ill.), 4-1-1
#6 Ohio def. #7 DePaul , 4-1-1

Round 3 Pairings (8:30 a.m. Tuesday)
#3 Toledo vs. #1 Miami (Championship Match)
#4 Ball State vs. #2 Eastern Michigan (Third-Place Match)
#7 Ohio vs. #5 Drake (Fifth-Place Match)
#8 Loyola (Ill.) vs. #6 DePaul (Seventh-Place Match)