The Bobcats traveled to Pittsburg, Tennessee, for Miami (OH )'s Sweetens Cove Intercollegiate match this week. The Bobcats entered the event as the No. 7 seed in an eight-team tournament bracket but finished the tournament in eighth place.
On the first day, Ohio took on No. 2 seed Austin Peay. The Bobcats fought till the end, losing 4.5-1.5. The first round saw strong play from junior Carson Trafford, who came back from a three-up deficit on the ninth with a dominant five birdies on holes 11, 12, 15, 16 and 17.
Senior Matt Daulton tied his opponent, fighting till the end from a similar three-up deficit and keeping a consistent round, finishing with 14 pars and a birdie.
Junior Will Kates started his matchup strong, holding a 1-up lead through the first six holes with three birdies before struggling to come back after three straight bogeys on holes 7-9. Kates lost by a one-up score despite a strong back nine with three birdies.
The Bobcats looked to turn things around on Day Two as they faced off against the No. 6 Northern Kentucky. The Bobcats did exactly that, defeating the Norse 3.5-2.5. Trafford continued his dominance from the first round, winning three up against Cooper Eberle. Trafford finished the match with four birdies and eight pars.
Daulton’s consistency wasn’t enough, falling short, giving the Norse a two-up win. He fought back and forth with Mason Butler holding a lead on holes 1 and 2, and 11 and 12. On the front nine, Daulton finished two under, birdieing two and paring the rest. Daulton struggled on the back nine with four bogeys and a double bogey.
Junior Nathaniel Gray Lamont bounced back from the first day, dominating his opponent, giving the Bobcats a four-up win, finishing the round with three birdies and ten pars. Kates picked up a one-up victory with an incredible seven birdies and ten pars. Senior Sam Hogan rounded out the group, tying his opponent and overcoming a three-up deficit on the back nine with two birdies and six pars.
On the final day, the Bobcats took on No. 8 seed Belmont in a close match where the Bobcats fell 4-2. Trafford lost in a four-up victory for Belmont, struggling to keep up with Belmont’s Brennan Cozad, who finished with five birdies compared to Trafford’s four. The Bobcats bounced back with a 3-up victory from Daulton, where he dominated with six birdies.
Belmont got the points back with a three-up victory over Gray Lamont as he struggled on the back with three bogeys, which sealed the match for Belmont. Kates helped get a point back for the Bobcats with a one-up victory where he dominated his opponent with five birdies and eight pars.
The Bobcats finished the tournament in eighth place, and individually, Trafford ranked fourth in the average score on par fours with 3.84 (-5) and fifth in birdies with 15, while Kates finished in third for the average score on par fives with 4.33 (-6) and second in birdies with 17.
