Oct. 1, 2006

WEST POINT, N.Y. - Navy won three of the seven singles matches Sunday afternoon at the West Point Golf Course to claim a 6-5 win over archrival Army in the annual Star Match. With the victory, the Naval Academy wins its first star of the 2006-07 campaign and in overall competition this fall, the Midshipmen lead Army, 2-1.

"We're thrilled to pick up the N Star," said Navy head coach Pat Owen, who has led the Midshipmen to victory in seven of the last nine Star Matches. "We displayed great teamwork yesterday in the 4-ball matches and today our guys had strong individual performances. Any time you win the Army-Navy match on the other team's home course, you've accomplished something really special."

Navy came into Sunday's action needing to win just three of the seven singles matchups, and they did just that. Sophomore Ryan Wielgus (Bethesda, Md.) won the first match of the day with a 5&4 decision over Army junior Patrick Beverly. He was one of two Navy golfers to provide two points for the Mids over the weekend. In addition to his singles win, he and classmate Chip Hardie (Arnold, Md.) coupled to win the doubles point on Saturday.

Down 4-1 to the Mids, Army won the next two individual battles with Jay Twitty beating Hardie, 4&3, and Joey Cave just edged out sophomore David Miller (Chillicothe, Ohio), 2&1.

Chris Renninger (Darnestown, Md.), who has had an outstanding junior campaign, stretched Navy's lead to 5-3 with his 4&3 decision over Joshua Cook. Like Wielgus, he helped give Navy an early lead on Saturday by matching up with junior Ryan Sload (Lancaster, Pa.) and winning the doubles point.

With two sets of golfers still out on the course, sophomore Eric Stinson (Spotsylvania, Va.), who narrowly lost (1 up) in the 4-ball matches Saturday, clinched the win for the Mids by defeating James Raymond 4&3.

Army won the final two matchups of the day - Sam Walenz def. Erich Schoen (Sylvania, Ohio) (3&2) and Matt Hanlon turned in six birdies on the front nine to beat Jeremy Garner (Fayetteville, Ga.) (5&4)- but it was all for not as Navy earned the six points it needed to win the star.

Navy has now defeated Army on its home course in three of the last four meetings. In addition to pocketing a win over Army, Navy spent the last two days getting familiar with a course that will play host to the 2007 Patriot League Golf Championship in April.

The Mids will have the next two weeks to prepare for their next tournament, the Big 5 Invitational (Oct. 13-14) hosted by Penn in Philadelphia.

Navy def. Army, 6-5

4-Ball Matches
Chris Renninger-Ryan Sload (N) def. Sam Walenz-Mark Garrison (A), 2&1
Ryan Wielgus-Chip Hardie (N) def. Joey Cave-Adam Renfroe (A), 3&2
Erich Schoen-Jeremy Garner (N) def. David Padgalskas-Matt Hanlon (A), 2&1
Jay Twitty-Patrick Beverly (A) def. David Miller-Eric Stinson (N) , 1 up

Singles Matches
Ryan Wielgus (N) def. Patrick Beverly (A), 5&4
Jay Twitty (A) def. Chip Hardie (N) , 4&3
Joey Cave (A) def. David Miller (N) , 2&1
Chris Renninger (N) def. Joshua Cook (A), 4&3
Eric Stinson (N) def. James Raymond (A), 4&3
Sam Walenz (A) def. Erich Schoen (N ) , 3&2
Matt Hanlon (A) def. Jeremy Garner (N) , 5&4