Sept. 16, 2006

LEWISBURG, Pa. (www.lafayette.edu) - Lafayette played its best golf on Saturday following a 36-hole day on Friday, and finished in a tie for ninth place of 15 schools at the Bucknell Invitational held at the Bison's on-campus, par-70 course.

The Leopards put together a final round showing of 297, 10 strokes lower than their second round of the event on Friday afternoon, to move into a deadlock with Duquesne in the 54-hole event.

Junior Brandon Mitchel led Lafayette with a 13-over par 223 (t-18th) and was one of four Leopards to post a score of 75 or lower on Saturday. He opened with a two-over par 72 in the morning round on Friday. Sophomore Anoop Shah, who shot a 73 in the first round before falling to a 78 in the afternoon, closed with a 74 on Saturday and was 15-over (t-25th) in the event.

Matt Ehrlich put together rounds of 75-76-76 to place in a tie for 31st at 16-over par 226. Pat Kelly (t-48, 234) and Billy Simmermacher (t-65, 239) rounded out the Leopards' top five competitors at the invitational. Freshman Reed Valutas posted Lafayette's third-best round on Friday afternoon, firing a 77.