Oct. 9, 2007

LUFKIN, Texas - After battling back in the second round of the 2007 Bill Hill - Crown Classic to place itself in the middle of the pack, the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjack golf team struggled Tuesday morning shooting a 309 to finish sixth overall (301-290-309 - 900, +36). Wichita State won the team title shooting a 19-under par 845.

"We really struggled on the back nine," said SFA head golf coach Trey Schroeder. "We were only a couple strokes over par after the front nine, but then it started to come apart. We had a few balls hit out of bounds, and a few in the water, which really costs us some strokes. I felt we played really well at times, but just didn't put it all together. We are a very young team, and these are the type of situations you can run into with a youthful squad. It's disappointing, but we have to learn from it and move on."

Sophomore Matthew Oates was the Lumberjacks top finisher, shooting a four-over 76 to place tied for 21st overall. Oates' third-round score also tied for the team's top score of the final round. Freshman Michael Smith was only three strokes off Oates' pace recording a 73-75-79 - 227, to finish tied for 31st overall.

Freshman Kyle Robbins shot a six-over par 78 Tuesday morning to finish tied for 31st with a 227. Classmate Justin Weant tied Oates with the 'Jacks' lowest round of the day, 76. Weant finished tied for 36th overall with a two-day score of 80-73-76 - 229.

After recording one of the best scores in the opening round of action, freshman Jacob Taylor struggled in the final two rounds. Taylor shot an opening round 73, but fell off the pace with an 80-81 in the final two rounds to finish 47th overall.

The Lumberjacks return to action Sunday when they travel to Edmond, Okla., to compete in the OU Intercollegiate. The tournament will be hosted by the University of Oklahoma, and will be one of three fall tournaments left on the 2007-08 schedule.

-SFA-

2007 SFA Bill Hill - Crown Classic
Crown Colony Country Club - Lufkin, Texas
Oct. 9, 2007
Team	                        Score
1. Wichita State	        276-281-288 - 845 (-19)
2. Oklahoma Christian Univ.	286-301-285 - 872 (+8)
3. UMKC	                        290-291-294 - 875 (+11)
4. Oklahoma City Univ.	        287-302-297 - 886 (+22)
5. Central Arkansas	        299-298-302 - 899 (+35)
6. SFA	                        301-290-309 - 900 (+36)
7. Oral Roberts	                305-299-299 - 903 (+39)
8. Texas-Pan American	        305-306-298 - 909 (+45)
9. McNeese State	        298-314-298 - 910 (+46)
10. Northwood Univ.	        319-302-320 - 941 (+77)