Men's Golf Falls to Minnesota and Michigan State in Day One of Match PlayMen's Golf Falls to Minnesota and Michigan State in Day One of Match Play

Men's Golf Falls to Minnesota and Michigan State in Day One of Match Play

Feb. 14, 2014

BRADENTON, Fla. - The Penn State men's golf team fell to Minnesota, 4-1-0, and Michigan State, 4-1-0 on day one of Big Ten Match Play at The Concessions Golf Club.

The No. 10 seed Nittany Lions faced off against the No. 7 Gophers at 7:30 a.m. Junior Xander McDonald-Smith (Rockaway Park, N.Y.) had a big day for the Blue and White, winning both his matches. McDonald-Smith topped Minnesota's Tyler Lowenstein 1-up. In his second victory for the Lions, the junior defeated Michigan State's Carson Castellani in the same score, 1-up.

Minnesota's Jose Mendez overcame sophomore JD Dornes (Lancaster, Pa.), 6 and 5. In Dornes' second match, he fell to Michigan State's Mitch Rutledge, 5 and 4.

Junior Jens Talbert (Little Rock, Ark.) fell short against Gopher Jon DuToit, 3 and 1. In his match against Spartan Charlie Metzel, Talbert fell 5 and 4.

Sophomore Chris Houston (Gilford, N.H.) faced Jon Trasamar of Minnesota in his only competition of the day. He dropped the match, 7 and 5.

Sophomore Geoff Vartelas (Cromwell, Conn.) played in the second round and took on Garreth Lappin of Michigan State. Lappin topped Vartelas, 4 and 2. Freshman Christian Elliott (Port Perry, Ontario) played his first match against Minnesota's Alex Gaugert and fell 1-up. Elliott dropped his second match to Gareth Blease, 4 and 3.

Semifinal matches will begin at 7:30 a.m. ET when Michigan takes on Iowa and Purdue faces Northwestern.

Penn State will tee off against No. 12 Nebraska Saturday morning at 8:30 a.m. in the consolation bracket to close out the Big Ten Match Play Championship.