UMass Dartmouth's Joey Lopes finishes tied for seventh at 1999 ECAC Golf Championships

(Dartmouth, MA)- Although the UMass Dartmouth men's golf team did not qualify for the 1999 ECAC Golf Championships, they were well represented in the individual competition. With a score of 152, including a second round 74, the lowest of the day, UMass Dartmouth senior Joey Lopes (Sagamore Beach, MA) finished tied for seventh at the ECAC Golf Championships held Oct. 10-11 at Seven Oaks Golf Course in Hamilton, New York.

Lopes had qualified for the ECAC Championships with a round of 75 at the ECAC Southern New England Regional qualifying round played at Holden Hills Country Club in Holden, MA. Advancing to the ECAC Championships, Lopes opened with a 78 to finish in a tie for 26th after the first day, before getting back into contention with his 74 on the second day.

While Lopes qualifying for the ECAC Championships was the highlight of UMass Dartmouth's Fall 1999 men�s golf season, Coach Paul Fistori�s Corsairs had several other accomplishments during the season.

The Corsair team did not qualify for the ECAC championships after placing 10th overall in the Southern New England Regional qualifier. Besides Lopes� round of 75, UMass Dartmouth�s Ryan Desrosiers carded a 79, while sophomore Patrick Lally (Winthrop, MA) turned in a round of 86. Senior Brendan Meehan (Webster, MA) and junior Trevor Norton (E. Freetown, MA) finished the day with rounds of 96.

UMass Dartmouth's best team finish of the year came at the Franklin Pierce Invitational on Oct. 13 in Rindge, NH. Behind Lally's round of 83, along with an 85 from Lopes, a 93 from freshman Ken Sylvia (Dartmouth, MA) and a 96 from Norton, the Corsairs finished second at 357, trailing on Western New England College's 340.

Earlier in the season, UMass Dartmouth finished third at the Worcester Polytechnic Institution Invitational played Sept. 29 at Holden Hills. Again, it was Lopes leading the way for the Corsairs, firing a round of 78 to tie him for low round of the day. One stroke back at 79 was Lally, followed closely by Meehan�s 83 and sophomore Brad Costa�s (Fall River, MA) 84.

Although the annual Toski Invitational in Amherst was limited to only one day of competition, the Corsairs had an impressive finish. Led by Lopes' 78, UMass Dartmouth was second among the Division III schools at the end of the first round. The tournament�s second round was postponed and not completed. Among the Corsairs' other top scorers at the Toski Invitational were Desrosiers at 81 with Loud and Lally turning in identical rounds of 84.

In addition to Lopes UMass Dartmouth had some strong individual rounds during the season. Meehan's best round was a team-best 83 at the UMass Dartmouth Invitational, where the Corsairs' placed third among three teams. Freshman Ryan Pelletier (Acushnet, MA) led the Corsairs to a fifth-place finish at the Western New England College Invitational with a round of 82.

Pelletier also fired an 81 in the New Englands on Oct. 19, three strokes behind Lopes (78) and Loud (79). Lally rounded out the Corsair scoring with an 84 for a 322 team final.