The golf team completed its regular season before the Patriot League tournament, falling 11.5-8.5 to Lehigh University in last Thursday’s rivalry dual meet before posting a fifth‑place finish in a 15‑team field at the Roar-EE Invitational at Columbia University on Saturday.
In the rivalry matchup at the President’s Cup, the Mountain Hawks controlled the better‑ball portion, taking four of five points. The Leopards’ lone tally came from senior Harry Dessel and junior Winston Kelenc‑Blank, who earned a 2‑up win.
“We got off to a slow start, they buried the first two holes, so we were down two off the bat,” Dessel said. “To win a nine-hole match starting off two down through two is pretty good, so I’m glad we fought back.”
In the alternate shot event, sophomores Reed Theiss and Harrison Browne opened with a 2-1 victory. Freshmen Liam Brandt and Chris Vahey added a 2‑up win, and Dessel and Kelenc‑Blank secured a 1‑up point. Although Lafayette outscored the Mountain Hawks in the event, they still trailed 6-4 overall.
“Winston and I didn’t hit our best, but we had some really good chip shots,” Dessel said. “We made some important putts, and we made more pars than they did.”
Browne earned a 1‑up win to kick off singles play. Freshman Viktor Kofod‑Olson and sophomore Travis Robertson both won their matches up two with one hole to go, while Brandt led his opponent by three with one remaining. Theiss also finished all square, but Lehigh ultimately edged out singles action 5.5-4.5, securing the overall win and retaining the President’s Cup for the sixth straight year.
“We struggled in the morning wave of rounds, and that put us behind going into the afternoon,” Robertson said.
At Columbia, Dessel led the way for the Leopards with a runner‑up finish out of 90 competitors at the par-72, 6,877-yard Wiltwyck Golf Club. He opened with a five‑under round one and followed it with a two‑under performance in round two, closing at seven-under to card 137 overall on the day.
“My short game in putting was really strong during the two rounds, and I made very few bogeys, which I’m proud of,” Dessel said.
Theiss finished t‑20 after shooting one‑over on day one and one‑under on day two, clocking an even‑par 144. Robertson followed just a stroke behind, shooting even on day one and one‑over on day two to place t‑24.
“I’d say I played solid for the two rounds,” Robertson said. “But every golfer feels like when they walk off a course that they should have been however many shots better.”
Kofod‑Olsen placed t‑35, carding 146 after an even-par round one, and Kelenc‑Blank closed out the Leopards’ five-man team with a t‑52 performance at four‑over-par in total. The Maroon and White posted an overall score of 571 to place fifth out of 15 teams, with Fairfield University taking the tournament victory and hosts Columbia finishing tied for second.
“A lot of our success was because of Harry’s score, but in line with the fact that a lot of the other guys played consistent, even par golf,” Robertson said.
Sophomore Michael DiNapoli also competed as an individual, carding a six-over 150 after an even-par first round and taking a t-63 finish.
The Leopards will wrap up their season at the Patriot League Championship this weekend, a three‑round tournament hosted by Army.
“We’ve won two tournaments this year, so we’re obviously just trying to keep on the hot streak,” Robertson said.