WWU advances to NCAA II national semifinals

Western Washington University used a tiebreaker to upset Florida Southern in a quarterfinal round of match play and advanced to the semifinals Thursday, May 23, at the NCAA Division II Men's Golf National Championships taking place at the Hershey Country Club East Course.

The No.8 seeded Vikings upended No.1 Florida Southern, with each team winning two of the five individual matches and tying the other. WWU won the quarterfinal via a total-stroke tiebreaker, which the Vikings claimed by six shots, 379 to 373. Typically, medal matches are decided by holes won.

The key match in winning the tiebreaker came from WWU's Jake Webb (Sr., Issaquah/Skyline)), who defeated FSU's Tim Crouch by eight shots. On Wednesday, Crouch had defeated Webb and South Carolina Aiken's Matt Atkins in a two-hole playoff to claim national medalist honors.

Webb, who shot a career-best 6-under par 65 on Wednesday, tied for second place in medalist play, the best-ever NCAA II national finish by a Viking. He moved up 14 places in the final round to force the playoff.

WWU now advances to the national semifinals, also being played today, to face No.4 Lynn FL, which defeated No.5 South Carolina Aiken (3-2-0).

In Thursday's other two quarterfinal matches, No.2 Barry FL was victorious over No.7 Missouri-St. Louis (4-1-0) and No.3 Nova Southeastern edged No.6 Cal State Monterey Bay (3-2-0).

The championship round is scheduled for Friday.

Florida Southern had won the medal portion of the tournament to determine the top eight. On Wednesday, the Moccasins shot a final-round 280, the best of the tournament, to take top honors with a 54-hole total of 867.

WWU moved up five places to tie for seventh at 898 (294). The Vikings were tied for fourth after Monday's opening round and dropped into a tie for 12th in the 20-team field following play Tuesday.

Nova Southeastern entered the tournament ranked No.1 in the final Golf Coaches Athletic Association Top 25 Poll, with Barry No.2 and WWU No.6.

The Vikings are already assured of their highest finish at the NCAA II nationals. They tied for sixth in 2000.