Friday, February 5
Palm Coast, Fla. (Hammock Beach Resort)
Michigan State University
vs
Big Ten Match Play Championship
Spartans Advance to Semifinals of the Big Ten Match Play Championship
2/5/2021 9:01:00 PM | Men's Golf
PALM COAST, Florida – The Michigan State men's golf team opened the 2021 season in strong fashion on Friday as the Spartans advanced to the semifinals of the Big Ten Match Play Championship at Hammock Beach Resort in Palm Coast, Florida. The No. 8-seeded Spartans defeated Maryland, 3.5-1.5, in the opening round, then tied No. 1 seed Northwestern, but won the tiebreaker, which was total holes ahead in the final match (7-6).
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"It was a good start to the season," MSU head coach Casey Lubahn said. "It was two really well-played matches by us, especially this afternoon with a great win over really solid Northwestern team."
The Spartans defeated No. 9 seed Maryland in the opening round 3.5-1.5. James Piot (5 and 4), Bradley Smithson (3 and 1) and Troy Taylor II (1 up) all won their matches against the Terripans. Piot never trailed, while Smithson took control on the sixth hole and never looked back. Taylor was tied with Maryland's Dillon Brown through 12 holes before taking the lead. Freshman August Meekhof halved his match with Will Koras.
In the afternoon against top-seeded Northwestern, Piot improved to 2-0 on the day by defeating David Nyfjall, 5 and 3. Piot lost the first hole, tied the second, won the third and never trailed the rest of the way.
Smithson tied his match, but the Wildcats took the next two (4 and 3; 2 and 1) to grab the lead. Meekhof, however, was able to hold his lead (2 up) over Christopher Zhang to even the overall score. Michigan State advanced by way of the first tiebreaker, which was total holes head in the final match, 7-
6.
"James Piot was pretty brilliant," Lubahn said. "He was 14 under over 29 holes. Brad and August were rock solid. It was August's first day of collegiate golf and he was very mature and very ready. So, it was a good start."
Michigan State will face fifth-seeded Iowa in the semifinals at 8 a.m. on Saturday, while Indiana and Wisconsin will meet on the other side of the bracket. The championship match will take place at 1 p.m.
>> GOLFSTAT
"It was a good start to the season," MSU head coach Casey Lubahn said. "It was two really well-played matches by us, especially this afternoon with a great win over really solid Northwestern team."
The Spartans defeated No. 9 seed Maryland in the opening round 3.5-1.5. James Piot (5 and 4), Bradley Smithson (3 and 1) and Troy Taylor II (1 up) all won their matches against the Terripans. Piot never trailed, while Smithson took control on the sixth hole and never looked back. Taylor was tied with Maryland's Dillon Brown through 12 holes before taking the lead. Freshman August Meekhof halved his match with Will Koras.
In the afternoon against top-seeded Northwestern, Piot improved to 2-0 on the day by defeating David Nyfjall, 5 and 3. Piot lost the first hole, tied the second, won the third and never trailed the rest of the way.
Smithson tied his match, but the Wildcats took the next two (4 and 3; 2 and 1) to grab the lead. Meekhof, however, was able to hold his lead (2 up) over Christopher Zhang to even the overall score. Michigan State advanced by way of the first tiebreaker, which was total holes head in the final match, 7-
6.
"James Piot was pretty brilliant," Lubahn said. "He was 14 under over 29 holes. Brad and August were rock solid. It was August's first day of collegiate golf and he was very mature and very ready. So, it was a good start."
Michigan State will face fifth-seeded Iowa in the semifinals at 8 a.m. on Saturday, while Indiana and Wisconsin will meet on the other side of the bracket. The championship match will take place at 1 p.m.
Players Mentioned
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