WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass., September 24, 2006 - Springfield College senior Andrew Wright (Hampden, Mass.) shot a second-round best 68, combined with a first-round score of 77 to lead the Pride to a ninth-place tie out of 20 competing teams in this weekend’s Williams Invitational, held at the Taconic Golf Club.

Salem State led the way with a two-round total of 559 total team points, as the University of Rochester and Skidmore College finished tied for second with 569 strokes each. Williams' “A” squad finished fourth with 579 strokes and Babson College rounded out the top five with a score of 583. SC finished the weekend with 609 total strokes and in a tie for ninth place in this, its second tournament of the season.

Wright shot the team-low and best second-round score of the day, carding a three-under, 68 on the par-71 course. Wright would finish with a two-day total of 145 (+3), leaving him in a tie for third place overall out of 103 golfers.

The second-round score of 68 that Wright posted was just one off the course record held at Taconic Golf Club. The original record of 67 was set in 1957 by Dick Tworig, the score was later matched by Tom Aaron, Lloyd Monroe, and Wayne Pence. The 2005-06 National Champion from the University of Rochester, Stephen Goodridge, became part of that record-holding group over the weekend, posting a 67 in his first round. He later finished the weekend with a four-under, 138, winning the tournament by three strokes.

Senior Bryan Chiravolo (Trumbull, Conn.) finished second for the Pride on the weekend, shooting an opening-round 83 before rebounding to shoot a 75 on Sunday, finishing the weekend with a 158 two-round total.

Sophomore Michael LaJoie (Enfield, Conn.) finished third for the Pride, combining a first-round 83 with a second-round 78 to end with a 161. Classmate Greg Levings (Averill Park, N.Y.) rounded out the top four for SC, shooting rounds of 83 and 80 for a 163-stroke total.

The Pride will next compete on Wednesday, October 4th, at the Elms Invitational beginning at 11:00 a.m.

published: 09/25/2006