ANNAPOLIS, Md.  // The Army and Navy men's golf teams completed the first day of action in the annual Star Match with the Black Knights taking a 2.5-1.5 advantage following Saturday's four-ball matches played at the Naval Academy Golf Club. The two teams will return to the links on Sunday with seven singles matches on tap to begin at 8:30 am. The first team to six points will be declared the winner.

Navy took the opening point in the match with seniors Nicholas Klock (Moraga, Calif.) and Chad Deegan (Newport Beach, Calif.) scoring a 3 & 1 victory over the Army tandem of Dragon Theam and Joshua Kim. The two teams were even after 12 holes before a birdie - par - birdie stretch by Deegan put the Mids in the driver's seat to secure the point.

Navy's Keegan Shreves (Jr / Potomac, Md.) and Andrew Wilkinson (Fr / Ashland, Va.) pushed out to an early lead against the Black Knights' Samuel Kim and Lake Kim in the second wave, before falling behind by one hole with three to play. After a halve on 16, Shreves connected on a clutch 30-foot birdie to pull the match back even. With Shreves looking at would be a certain par, Lake Kim rolled a 25-footer in to take the point from Navy in a 1-up decision.

Army pulled ahead in the overall score 2-1 when Tom Katsenes and Gary Bullard paired up to defeat the Mids' Ben Burton (Sr / Charleston, S.C.) and Braxton Tracy (Jr / Huntersville, N.C.), 5 & 3.

Navy freshmen Noah Nuez (Laveen, Ariz.) and Benjamin Valdez (Stevenson Ranch, Calif.) found themselves two-down early in what would be the final match of the day against Army's Marshall Daniel and John Heckel Jr. However, a near hole-out from the fairway on the sixth by Nuez kept the Mids in the match. The Army pair continued to build their lead, making it 3-up after 14. It was at that point Nuez and Valdez staged a tremendous comeback. Nuez birdied 15 and parred 16, before Valdez won the 17th with a clutch par. One down on 18, Valdez hit two terrific shots to 25 feet, and then calmly rolled in the birdie to ensure the half point.


Army leads Navy, 2.5-1.5

Four-Ball Results
Nicholas Klock-Chad Deegan (N) def. Dragon Theam-Joshua Kim, 3 & 1
Saumuel Kim-Lake Kim def. Keegan Shreves-Andrew Wilkinson (N), 1-up
Tom Katsenes-Gary Bullard v. Ben Burton-Braxton Tracy (N), 5 & 3
Noah Nuez-Benjamin Valdez (N) halved Marshall Daniel-John Heckel Jr.