Ball State University's men's golf team couldn't get away from the unseasonably cold weather, even after travelling out of Indiana to play. Playing through wind and snow, the 38th Marshall Invitational in Huntington, W. Va., ended after 36 holes.
Despite the conditions, the Cardinals tied for second place behind Pennsylvania State University. Ball State shot a 577, 12 strokes behind the Nittany Lions. Although the Cardinals were in first place after Friday and finished second, coach Mike Fleck said he was pleased with the performance.
"We competed well against the [Mid-American Conference] schools and I was pleased with our effort," Fleck said. "One of our goals was to beat all the MAC schools and play at a high level. We were able to do that this weekend."
Senior Wayne Denger tied for fourth place with a score of 141. Andy Skillman, who shot a 146, tied Denger for a team-low score of 69 in the first round. Denger, who completed his fourth Marshall Invitational tournament, said he enjoyed seeing his teammates play well.
"This weekend was a lot more enjoyable than the last few tournaments," Denger said. "The team did well, and I'm happy. It's a good change of pace. I wish we could have won, but second place isn't bad either. We got outplayed. The other team just played better."
Because the conditions were bad Friday afternoon, the second round was canceled and scheduled for Saturday. Although the Cardinals were able to play 18 holes, snow prevented the teams from finishing the last round.
Akron University finished fourth, with Northern Illinois University and Ohio University tying for fifth. Host Marshall University struggled both days, finishing 10th.
"It's great to be able to look at the leader board and know we are on top for the MAC schools," Denger said. "It's good to beat your buddies and be on top again. I don't know if we have beaten Eastern Michigan all year, and we've shown we can do it."
Skillman said finishing second shows a lot about the team.
"I think everyone is a lot more pumped this week," Skillman said. "It shows we play well together and it's a great feeling knowing we were in the lead Friday. It's great to finish second and it's something to build on. We knew the conditions were going to be tough, but everyone just focused on their games."
With the severe conditions, Fleck said the tournament was definitely a challenge. Despite the weather, Fleck said he believed his players have learned that they compete if the team gives a collective effort.
"We took six guys down there and all played competitively," Fleck said. "It is something I've been looking for. It's pretty hard to win college golf tournaments, but we have the depth to play with the field."
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