WEST POINT, N.Y. —  Despite six of the seven singles matches reaching the 18th hole on Sunday, the Navy men's golf team saw its bid to rally back from a three-point deficit cut short as Army claimed an 8-3 victory in the annual Star Match played at the West Point Golf Course. It marked just the third win by the Black Knights against the Midshipmen in the last nine Star Matches played at West Point.

"Our guys played their hearts out and gave everything they had today, but we just couldn't catch Army," said 29th-year Navy head coach Pat Owen.

Army jumped out to a 3.5-0.5 advantage on Saturday as the hotly-contested four-ball matches saw three of the four matches decided on the final hole.

The neck-and-neck play continued into Sunday's singles competition with all but one of the singles matches reaching the final hole. Army's Gunnar Doyle clipped Navy junior Thomas Garbee (Asheville, N.C.), 1-up, while Matt Plunkett scored a 2-up decision over Navy sophomore Charlie Musto (Sterling, Va.). Musto was studying a 20-footer for eagle on 18 to pull even, however, Doyled drained a downhill 40 footer for eagle to claim the point.

Navy's Griffin Peters (Fountain Hills, Ariz.) halved his point against Justin Williamson. The Navy senior won 17 with a birdie and then made another birdie on 18, but Williamson also birdied as the match ended all square.

Army secured the Star when Tom Katsenes dealt Navy second-year standout Jake Miles (Fredericksburg, Va.) with a 2-and-1 loss on the 17th.

Navy's two wins came from the senior class with team captain Paul Mauer (Eagleville, Pa.) carding the birdie on the 18th to post a 1-up victory over Army's Sam Yom, while classmate Matthew Starobin (Davidsonville, Md.) finished birdie-birdie to post a 2-up victory over James McKee.

Army claimed the final match with Nick Turner earning a 2-up victory over Navy sophomore Ward Wilkinson (Ashland, Va.).

With the win, the Black Knights hold a 2-0 lead in the annual Star Series presented by USAA with victories in sprint football and men's golf. The next Star Game is slated for next Saturday in Annapolis featuring the two schools' volleyball teams.

The Midshipmen will return to action a week from Monday (Oct. 8) when they compete in the two-day Bucknell Invitational.

Army 8, Navy 3
Four-Ball Results
Nick Turner  / Sam Yom (A) def. Thomas Garbee / Paul Mauer, 1-up
James McKee / Thomas Messner (A) halved Ward Wilkinson / Jake Miles
Gunnar Doyle / Tom Katsenes (A) def. Charlie Musto / Michael Brennan, 2-and-1
Justin Williamson / Matt Plunkett (A) def. Matthew Starobin / Griffin Peters, 1-up

Singles Results
Gunnar Doyle (A) def. Thomas Garbee, 1-up
Matt Plunkett (A) def. Charlie Musto, 2-up
Justin Williamson (A) halved Griffin Peters
Tom Katsenes (A) def. Jake Miles, 2-and-1
Paul Mauer (N) def. Sam Yom, 1-up
Matthew Starobin (N) def. James McKee, 2-up
Nick Turner (A) def. Ward Wilkinson, 2-up

### Go Navy ###