GLADSTONE, N.J. — The Lafayette men's golf team had to relinquish the President's Cup on Thursday, as it dropped an 8-5 match to rival Lehigh at Hamilton Farm Golf Club.
After winning the 2019 event and holding on to the Cup through 2020 because last season's event was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Leopards were looking to win their second straight match against the Mountain Hawks for the first time since winning four in a row from 2014-17.
At the start of the match, the Leopards won the better ball portion of the event, 2-1, after the pairing of senior Cole Berger and sophomore Martin Vanhaelst and the pairing of juniors Ryan Tall and Kazuki Osawa came away with victories. Berger and Vanhaelst beat David Hurly and Joey Dotta, 2 and 1, while Tall and Osawa posted a 1-up victory over Owen Quinn and Sam Barton.
In alternate shot play, the Leopards received a victory from Tall and junior Drew Steiner to open that portion of the match, but Lehigh won the next two to even the team score at 3. Tall and Steiner Edmund Broderick and Marco Arosemena, 3 and 2.
In the singles portion, the Leopards came away with only two points while the Mountain Hawks rallied five points in that format to win the match and even the all-time match play series at 5-5. Vanhaelst earned one point by beating Broderick, 5 and 3, while Steiner and Tall each halved their matches to earn a half a point apiece.
The Leopards will now prepare to play in the Patriot League Tournament, which will take place on May 1 and 2 at the United States Naval Academy Golf Club in Annapolis, Md.
Lehigh 8, Lafayette 5
Better Ball
Edmund Broderick/AJ Gilpin (Lehigh) def. Brendan Cronin/ Alec Cwienkala (Lafayette), 2-up
Martin Vanhaelst/Cole Berger (Lafayette) def. David Hurly/Joey Dotta (Lehigh), 2&1
Ryan Tall/Kazuki Osawa (Lafayette) def. Owen Quinn/Sam Barton (Lehigh), 1-up
Alternate Shot
Ryan Tall/Drew Steiner (Lafayette) def. Edmund Broderick/Marco Arosemena (Lehigh), 3&2
David Hurly/Joey Dotta (Lehigh) def. Martin Vanhaelst/Kazuki Osawa (Lafayette), 2-up
Owen Quinn/Sam Barton (Lehigh) def. Cole Berger/Brendan Cronin (Lafayette), 3&2
Singles
AJ Gilpin (Lehigh) vs. Drew Steiner (Lafayette), halved
Marco Arosemena (Lehigh) def. Creighton Hendrix (Lafayette), 4&3
Martin Vanhaelst (Lafayette) def. Edmund Broderick (Lehigh), 5&3
Joey Dotta (Lehigh) def. Cole Berger (Lafayette), 1-up
David Hurly (Lehigh) def. Brendan Cronin, (Lafayette) 2&1
Sam Barton (Lehigh) def. Kaz Osawa (Lafayette), 2&1
Owen Quinn (Lehigh) vs. Ryan Tall (Lafayette), halved
