Eastern Michigan Athletics
Tuesday, February 8
Dade City, Fla.
All Day
Eastern Michigan University
at
Earl Yestingsmeier Match Play
EMU Wins Championship at Earl Yestingsmeier Match Play
2/8/2022 3:06:00 PM | Men's Golf
The EMU men’s golf team earned the title for the third time - 2015, 2016, and 2022
DADE CITY, Fla. (EMUEagles.com) — The Eastern Michigan University men's golf team posted a 4-2 win Tuesday, Feb. 8, over the top-seeded Rockets of the University of Toledo to win the Earl Yestingsmeier Match Play Tournament for the first time since the 2015-16 season. The Eagles, seeded No. 2 based on the Golfstat rankings, participated in the event held by Ball State University for the 11th annual event at Lake Jovita Golf & Country Club.
All-time at the event, Head Coach Bruce Cunningham's crew has posted a 14-7-5 record in match play. The Eagles, who previously won the event in 2015 and 2016, played in the championship match for the sixth time since it began in 2012.
Eastern Michigan defeated No. 7 Xavier University, 5-1, in the opening round. They then edged No. 6 seeded Flyers of the University of Dayton, 3.5-2.5, in the afternoon to advance to the final against the Rockets.
How It Happened
» Schools are competing in teams of six with the seeds determined by their current Golfstat rankings. Each of the six matches is worth one point to the winner. If the competitors end up all-square after 18 holes, each school receives ½ point. The school with the most points after the six matches wins.
» Unlike stroke play, in which the unit of scoring is the total number of strokes taken over one or more rounds of golf, match play scoring consists of individual holes won, halved or lost. On each hole, the most that can be gained is one point. Golfers play as normal, counting the strokes taken on a given hole. The golfer with the lowest score on a given hole receives one point. If the golfers tie, then the hole is halved. Also, once a player is "up" more holes than there are holes remaining to play, the match is over.
» Every Eagle won at least one match during the event with seniors Cougar Collins (Caledon, Ontario, Canada-Mayfield Secondary) and Zack Mason (Toronto, Ontario, Canada-Blyth Academy Lawrence Park) both notching 3-0 records.
» Senior Ty Celone (Long Sault, Ontario, Canada-St Joseph's Catholic) and sophomore Max Watson (Ashland, Ohio-Ashland) each won two pairings, while sophomore MJ Smith (Rockford, Ill.-Winnebago) and senior Blaise Vanitvelt (Fenton Mich.-Flint Powers Catholic-Monteverde Academy) carded one victory in three tries.
» Collins notched a 2-up decision over Jamie Tofte Nielsen after the round was tied for the first six holes. The Caledon, Ontario native finally took a lead he would not relinquish on No. 2 after starting on hole seven.
» Mason closed out NJ Botha, 3&1, by winning his final three holes after the duo were tied with four remaining.
» Watson grabbed his second win in the tournament with a 3&2 triumph over Max Siegfried. Watson led wire-to-wire for the round, winning five of the first seven holes to build an insurmountable advantage.
» Vanitvelt notched his first win as an Eagle, finishing 2-up over David Amm
» Celone came up short against Barend Botha, 5&4, while Smith fell 2&1 to Lukas Clark (TOL).
Up Next
Head Coach Bruce Cunningham and company return to stroke play at the Wexford Plantation Intercollegiate, Feb. 21-22, in Hilton Head, S.C.
Opening Round
No. 2 Eastern Michigan def. No. 7 Xavier, 5-1
Ty Celone (EMU) def. Jack Wertz (XU) 3&2
Cougar Collins (EMU) def. Michael Prebles (XU), 5&4
MJ Smith (EMU) def. Justin Gabbard (XU), 5&3
Zack Mason (EMU) def. Nick Frey (XU), 3&2
Max Watson (EMU) def. Mason Witt (XU), 5&4
Brian Jennings II (XU) def. Blaise Vanitvelt (EMU), 4&2
Other Opening Round Matchups
No. 1 Toledo def. No. 8 DePaul, 5-1
No. 4 Loyola tied with No. 5 Drake, 2-2-2 (Drake advances on tiebreakers)
No. 3 Ball State tied with No. 6 Dayton, 2-2-2 (Dayton advances on tiebreakers
Semifinals
No. 2 Eastern Michigan def. No. 6 Dayton, 3.5-2.5
Ty Celone (EMU) def. Blake Solomon (UD), 3&1
Cougar Collins (EMU) def. Henry May (UD), 5&3
MJ Smith (EMU) tied with Kyle Schmidt (UD)
Zack Mason (EMU) def. Hayden Zimmerer (UD), 1-up
Ryan Clements (UD) def. Max Watson (EMU), 4&3
Ethan Snyder (UD) def. Blaise Vanitvelt (EMU), 1-up
Other Semifinal Matchups
No. 1 Toledo def. No. 5 Drake, 4.5-1.5
No. 4 Loyola def. No. 8 DePaul, 3.5-2.5
No. 3 Ball State tied No. 7 Xavier (BSU advances on tiebreakers)
Championship Match
No. 2 Eastern Michigan def. No. 1 Toledo, 4-2
Barend Botha (TOL) def. Ty Celone (EMU), 5&4
Cougar Collins (EMU) def. Jamie Tofte Nielsen (TOL), 2-up
Lukas Clark (TOL) def. MJ Smith (EMU), 2&1
Zack Mason (EMU) def. NJ Botha (TOL), 3&1
Max Watson (EMU) def. Max Siegfried (TOL), 3&2
Blaise Vanitvelt (EMU) def. David Amm (TOL), 2-up
Other Semifinal Matchups
No. 5 Drake def. No. 6 Dayton, 3.5-2.5
No. 3 Ball State def. No. 4 Loyola, 3.5-2.5
No. 8 DePaul def. No. 7 Xavier, 4-2
All-time at the event, Head Coach Bruce Cunningham's crew has posted a 14-7-5 record in match play. The Eagles, who previously won the event in 2015 and 2016, played in the championship match for the sixth time since it began in 2012.
Eastern Michigan defeated No. 7 Xavier University, 5-1, in the opening round. They then edged No. 6 seeded Flyers of the University of Dayton, 3.5-2.5, in the afternoon to advance to the final against the Rockets.
How It Happened
» Schools are competing in teams of six with the seeds determined by their current Golfstat rankings. Each of the six matches is worth one point to the winner. If the competitors end up all-square after 18 holes, each school receives ½ point. The school with the most points after the six matches wins.
» Unlike stroke play, in which the unit of scoring is the total number of strokes taken over one or more rounds of golf, match play scoring consists of individual holes won, halved or lost. On each hole, the most that can be gained is one point. Golfers play as normal, counting the strokes taken on a given hole. The golfer with the lowest score on a given hole receives one point. If the golfers tie, then the hole is halved. Also, once a player is "up" more holes than there are holes remaining to play, the match is over.
» Every Eagle won at least one match during the event with seniors Cougar Collins (Caledon, Ontario, Canada-Mayfield Secondary) and Zack Mason (Toronto, Ontario, Canada-Blyth Academy Lawrence Park) both notching 3-0 records.
» Senior Ty Celone (Long Sault, Ontario, Canada-St Joseph's Catholic) and sophomore Max Watson (Ashland, Ohio-Ashland) each won two pairings, while sophomore MJ Smith (Rockford, Ill.-Winnebago) and senior Blaise Vanitvelt (Fenton Mich.-Flint Powers Catholic-Monteverde Academy) carded one victory in three tries.
» Collins notched a 2-up decision over Jamie Tofte Nielsen after the round was tied for the first six holes. The Caledon, Ontario native finally took a lead he would not relinquish on No. 2 after starting on hole seven.
» Mason closed out NJ Botha, 3&1, by winning his final three holes after the duo were tied with four remaining.
» Watson grabbed his second win in the tournament with a 3&2 triumph over Max Siegfried. Watson led wire-to-wire for the round, winning five of the first seven holes to build an insurmountable advantage.
» Vanitvelt notched his first win as an Eagle, finishing 2-up over David Amm
» Celone came up short against Barend Botha, 5&4, while Smith fell 2&1 to Lukas Clark (TOL).
Up Next
Head Coach Bruce Cunningham and company return to stroke play at the Wexford Plantation Intercollegiate, Feb. 21-22, in Hilton Head, S.C.
Opening Round
No. 2 Eastern Michigan def. No. 7 Xavier, 5-1
Ty Celone (EMU) def. Jack Wertz (XU) 3&2
Cougar Collins (EMU) def. Michael Prebles (XU), 5&4
MJ Smith (EMU) def. Justin Gabbard (XU), 5&3
Zack Mason (EMU) def. Nick Frey (XU), 3&2
Max Watson (EMU) def. Mason Witt (XU), 5&4
Brian Jennings II (XU) def. Blaise Vanitvelt (EMU), 4&2
Other Opening Round Matchups
No. 1 Toledo def. No. 8 DePaul, 5-1
No. 4 Loyola tied with No. 5 Drake, 2-2-2 (Drake advances on tiebreakers)
No. 3 Ball State tied with No. 6 Dayton, 2-2-2 (Dayton advances on tiebreakers
Semifinals
No. 2 Eastern Michigan def. No. 6 Dayton, 3.5-2.5
Ty Celone (EMU) def. Blake Solomon (UD), 3&1
Cougar Collins (EMU) def. Henry May (UD), 5&3
MJ Smith (EMU) tied with Kyle Schmidt (UD)
Zack Mason (EMU) def. Hayden Zimmerer (UD), 1-up
Ryan Clements (UD) def. Max Watson (EMU), 4&3
Ethan Snyder (UD) def. Blaise Vanitvelt (EMU), 1-up
Other Semifinal Matchups
No. 1 Toledo def. No. 5 Drake, 4.5-1.5
No. 4 Loyola def. No. 8 DePaul, 3.5-2.5
No. 3 Ball State tied No. 7 Xavier (BSU advances on tiebreakers)
Championship Match
No. 2 Eastern Michigan def. No. 1 Toledo, 4-2
Barend Botha (TOL) def. Ty Celone (EMU), 5&4
Cougar Collins (EMU) def. Jamie Tofte Nielsen (TOL), 2-up
Lukas Clark (TOL) def. MJ Smith (EMU), 2&1
Zack Mason (EMU) def. NJ Botha (TOL), 3&1
Max Watson (EMU) def. Max Siegfried (TOL), 3&2
Blaise Vanitvelt (EMU) def. David Amm (TOL), 2-up
Other Semifinal Matchups
No. 5 Drake def. No. 6 Dayton, 3.5-2.5
No. 3 Ball State def. No. 4 Loyola, 3.5-2.5
No. 8 DePaul def. No. 7 Xavier, 4-2
Players Mentioned
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