Evan Wheaton
@EvanWheaton
After a championship-winning weekend, it was back to business for the Springfield College golf team as they took on the Blazer Fall Invitational at the Ledges Golf Club last weekend.
The Pride finished Saturday with 313 strokes, tying Elms College for fifth place. By the end of the tournament, the Pride solidified that place spot with 638 strokes, beating out Elms to come out with a fifth place finish. Out of 17 competing schools, the finish was impressive, albeit coming off a championship high.
“I think the team was a little tired after playing the past five weekends along with the championship,” said head coach Joe Eadie. “We’re looking forward to the rest this weekend.”
And rest the players will, as they’re approaching an off weekend before meeting the Babson Beavers at the NIEGA Championships. The Beavers have given the Pride a lot of trouble in the past, beating them in the past three consecutive NECC championships.
“They were good competition to have in the conference,” said Eadie. “They’re the team to beat.”
The current roster is filled with veterans that are very experienced playing against Babson, save for freshman Corey Roya. The only freshman on the team, he’s already proving to be a valuable asset to the Pride.
“Corey is starting to shine,” said Eadie when asked about individual player performance.
Roya tied team captain Mike Strong on Saturday as they each carded rounds of 76 to shoot +4 for the day. Roya would then turn in a final mark of 164, just eight strokes above Strong. Out of 87 golfers in the event, Roya tied for 23rd.
“It’s the last event next weekend, it’s been a good year so far. We won our conference,” said Roya. “I love it here so far, being in the starting lineup every week as a freshman feels pretty good.”
Springfield will hold a 36-hole qualifier this weekend for the NIEGA Championships, and Roya is primed and ready to go.
“All I’ve been trying to do is qualify and play in events. I try to be wherever coach Eadie needs me, and I don’t give up on the round when it’s not looking so good. I keep going.”
It’s expected that Roya will qualify this weekend and join Jake Raichle, Joe Piwowarski and Strong at The Captain’s Golf Course, where the NIEGA Championships will be held.
The Pride will need its best golfers at the competition with fierce schools such as Elms College and Babson in attendance. Despite the competition, Roya has asserted that he isn’t worried.
“Elms has a couple of guys that can play. We don’t really worry about other schools. We just focus on what we’re trying to do.”
The Pride will be teeing off in Cape Cod October 21.
Photo courtesy of Springfield Athletics