Bradenton, Fla. - The Nebraska men's golf team lost its opening match to Purdue at the Big Ten Match Play but responded in the afternoon with a victory over Wisconsin on Friday at The Concession Golf Club.
The Huskers, who are the 11-seed, lost to sixth-seeded Purdue in the first round, 3-2-0. In the opening match, freshman Kolton Lapa never led in a 5&4 loss to the Boilermakers' Adam Schenk. Nebraska, however, responded in the second and third matches with victories over Purdue.
Sophomore Ross Dickson won the first hole of his match and never looked back in a 3&2 victory over Justin Cho. Junior Matt Record added a 6&4 win over Jonathan Dilanni to give Nebraska a 2-1 lead. Record won the opening hole, No. 10 at The Concession, and was tied with Dilanni after No. 12 before winning four of the next five holes.
Purdue's David Cooke faced off with NU's Kevin Gillick in a back and forth match before Cooke emerged with a 3&2 win. The match was all square thru seven holes before Cooke parred the 17th to take a 1 Up lead. Cooke never looked back, winning Holes 2 and 5.
Sophomore Cameron Palmer, making his first start for Nebraska, fell 4&2 to Jakob Ziegler. After tying the first three holes, Palmer took a brief 1 Up lead before Ziegler's back-to-back birdies on the 14th and 15th holes.
The Huskers moved to the consolation bracket to face Wisconsin in the afternoon matches. Nebraska emerged with a victory following a 2-2-1 tie.
Lapa led off for Nebraska and halved his match against the Badgers' Chris Meyer. Lapa was 2 Up after three but Meyer won the next two holes and battled through a back-and-forth second nine en route to a tie.
Dickson didn't fare as well as he did in the morning in a 2 Up afternoon loss to Thomas O'Bryan. Dickson lost the first hole but took a 1 Up lead into the second nine before dropping the last two holes.
Record added his second victory of the day in a 4&2 defeat of Tom Welk. Record took a 4 Up lead thru five holes and never looked back. Gillick added a 5&4 win over Matt Ross in the next match. The pair was tied in the early going but Gillick won Nos. 8-10 to take a 4 Up lead before cruising to victory.
Palmer battled John Gullberg in a close match but ultimately lost 1 Up. Palmer led after seven holes but Gulberg won the eighth and never trailed again.
The Huskers face Minnesota on Saturday. Live scoring for the match is available at http://www.ajga.org/big10mpc/.
Big Ten
Match Play
Feb. 8-9, 2013
The Concession Golf Club, Bradenton, Fla.
Par 72 - 7,474 yards
First Round: Purdue def. Nebraska 3-2
Adam Schenk (PUR) def. Kolton Lapa (NEB), 5&4
Ross Dickson (NEB) def. Justin Cho (PUR), 3&2
Matt Record (NEB) def. Jonathan Dilanni (PUR), 6&4
David Cooke (PUR) def. Kevin Gillick (NEB), 3&2
Jakob Ziegler (PUR) def. Cameron Palmer (NEB), 4&2
Consolation: Nebraska def. Wisconsin
2-2-1
Halved: Kolton Lapa (NEB) tied Chris Meyer (WIS)
Thomas O'Bryan (WIS) def. Ross Dickson (NEB), 2 Up
Matt Record (NEB) def. Tom Welk (WIS), 4&2
Kevin Gillick (NEB) def. Matt Ross (WIS), 5&4
John Gullberg (WIS) def. Cameron Palmer (NEB), 1 Up
