Blue Raiders move up on final day in Cincinnati

Tuesday, October 1

Cincinnati OH

All Day

Middle Tennessee

Bearcat Invitational

Photo by: Tom Morris

10/1/2019 2:20:00 PM | Men's Golf

Saulo collects another Top 10

By: @MTAthletics

Final Results

CINCINNATI, Ohio – The Blue Raider Men's Golf team was able to put together one of the better rounds of the day Tuesday and made a move up the team leaderboard, but it was too little, too late for a Top 5 push after a slow start Monday.

Middle Tennessee's 2-over par (286) round was its best of the week at the Bearcat Invitational and saw the team move from 10^th into a tie for seventh, passing up Wisconsin (+20) and Conference USA foe LA Tech (+23) to match Illinois State (+15) in the final standings.

"We just dug ourselves into hole after the first day," Head Coach Mark McEntire commented. "I really thought we played a solid round of golf today."

Junior Ilari Saulo collected his second Top 10 finish in as many tournaments, tying for eighth place in the field of 75 at 3-under par (69-71-70=210) after three consecutive rounds of par or better at Coldstream Country Club.

Freshman Mattias Varjun matched Saulo's final round score of 1-under par 70, his first round under par in his young Blue Raider career, to move 15 spots up the individual leaderboard and into the Top 30 on the final day.

"What a great tournament from Ilari," McEntire said. He continues to get better every week, and it was nice to see Mattias get his first round under par as a blue raider as well!"

Senior Tanner Owens turned in a solid round of even par 71 on Tuesday to finish the Bearcat Invitational at 10-over par, just between freshman teammates Gavin Clements (+8) and Michael Barnard (+11).

Sophomore Jake Marvelli, competing as an individual in Cincinnati, posted a score of 21-over par on the week.

The Blue Raiders have a short turnaround when they return home as they host their annual home tournament, the Intercollegiate at The Grove, Oct. 6-8.

"I saw some things I liked this week and some things we need to improve on, too," McEntire added. "We will spend the majority of our time this week working to have a good finish in our home event at The Grove."

For all the latest information on Middle Tennessee Men's Golf, follow the #BlueRaiders on Facebook (@MTMensGolf), Twitter (@MT_MGolf) and Instagram (MT_MGolf).