WEST OLIVE, Mich. – The Trine University men's golf team had the lowest combined score in the third round of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) Automatic Qualifier, but could not make up the deficit to Hope College in the 54-hole event to secure a spot in the NCAA National Championship field. The Thunder fired a 291 on Saturday with four scoring members inside the top-10.
The Flying Dutch received the MIAA's automatic bid to the season's final event with a three-round score of 895. Trine was second overall at 904, with Adrian College third (911) and Calvin University fourth (923).
Junior Mark Civanich had the lowest round of the day for the team with a 1-under 70. He had the third-lowest score in the event and had an eagle on his card on hole 17, a 420-yard par-4. He also had four birdies on his scorecard to help him go 3-under on the back nine.
Senior Charlie Eriksen fired a 73 on Saturday, the fifth-best scorecard in the four-team event. He was consistent throughout his round and hit for birdies on holes 7 and 13. He took six strokes off his score at the Wuskowhan Players Club on Friday.
The duo of senior Mitch Lowney and freshman Carter Schnipke hit for 74 on Saturday to tie for sixth. Lowney ended his front and back nine's strong with a birdie on holes 9 and 18, while Schnipke had 11 pars and a pair of birdies on par-5 holes. Junior Carter Rang looked significantly better on Saturday with a 78 (tied for 16th). He finished his round with a birdie on hole 18 and never went higher than a bogey on any hole.
For the four team members that competed in all three MIAA AQ rounds, Lowney was third with a total score of 222 (76-72-74) and Civanich was one stroke behind in fourth at 223 (74-79-70). Eriksen finished the three-round event in a tie for ninth at 229 (77-79-73) and Schnipke tied for 12th at 230 (78-78-74).