The Seattle University men's golf team started the 2009-10 competitive year by moving into tenth place after two rounds of the Palouse Collegiate Tournament Monday at the Palouse Ridge Golf Club.
Sam Bell (Park City, Utah) led the way for SeattleU, following a first-round 76 with an even-par round of 72 to finish the day in a tie for 20th place at 148 (+4). Fellow freshman Alec Pakzad (Bellevue, Wash.) shot 73 and 78 for a two-round total of 151 (+7), good enough for a tie for 33rd place.
Two other SeattleU freshmen finished the first day in a tie for 59th place at 156 (+12), as Preston Matchett (Billings, Mont.) shot rounds of 79 and 77 and Rob Seibly (Spokane, Wash.) posted scores of 74 and 82. Nowell Ancheta (Lancaster, Calif.) is in a tie for 71st place after rounds of 81 and 82 for a total score of 163 (+19), and Justin Goar (Montesano, Wash.) finished in a tie for 73rd place after shooting 83 in each round for a cumulative score of 166 (+22).
With a two-round score of 611, Seattle University is just four strokes behind Gonzaga University. Sacramento State holds the lead after two rounds but is just one stroke ahead of Washington State. Kevin Tucker of Washington State shot 66 in the second round to take the individual lead at 138 (-6).
Seattle University will compete in the final round of the tournament Tuesday, Sept. 15, with the first SeattleU golfer scheduled to tee off from the tenth tee at 7:30 a.m.