HATTIESBURG, Miss. – For the second straight year, Rasmus Karlsson and Jason Mendel won both of their matches to help lead the University of South Alabama men's golf team to the Southern Collegiate Match Play title on Saturday at the Hattiesburg Country Club.

Trailing Sun Belt Conference rival Louisiana 1-0 in the semifinals, Yannick Schütz evened the match with a 4 & 3 victory over Peter Hinnant.  Mendel followed with a 3 & 2 defeat of Cole Kendrick to set the stage for Karlsson, who moved the Jaguars into the final by defeating Bjorn Gudjonsson 1 up.

South trailed host Southern Mississippi 2-0 in the championship match-up when Karlsson began the comeback with a 1-up win over Matt Codd.  Mendel drew the two teams even when he beat Brian Richards 3 & 2, then Peter Staalbo closed out the victory with a 3 & 1 defeat of Nathan Corchis.

TOURNAMENT INFORMATION
Event (host): Southern Collegiate Match Play (Southern Mississippi)
Date: 4/7 (Saturday)
Course: Hattiesburg Country Club (par 71, 6,902 yds)
Complete results

SEMIFINALS
South Alabama 3, Louisiana 2
No. 1: Triston Elston (ULL) def. Brooks Rabren (USA), 2 & 1
No. 2: Rasmus Karlsson (USA) def. Bjorn Gudjonsson (ULL), 1 up
No. 3: Yannick Schütz (USA) def. Peter Hinnant (ULL), 4 & 3
No. 4: Jason Mendel (USA) def. Cole Kendrick (ULL), 3 & 2
No. 5: Jack Tolson (ULL) def. Peter Staalbo (USA), 3 & 1
Order of finish: 1, 3, 4, 2, 5

CHAMPIONSHIP
South Alabama 3, Southern Mississippi 2
No. 1: Philip Heine (USM) def. Brooks Rabren (USA), 1 up
No. 2: Rasmus Karlsson (USA) def. Matt Codd (USM), 1 up
No. 3: Willie Hammond (USM) def. Yannick Schütz (USA), 2 & 1
No. 4: Jason Mendel (USA) def. Brian Richards (USM), 3 & 2
No. 5: Peter Staalbo (USA) def. Nathan Corchis (USM), 3 & 1
Order of finish: 1, 3, 2, 4, 5

TEE SHOTS
-Mendel improved his career match-play record to 4-1-1 with the performance, while Karlsson now has a 4-1 mark over the last two years.
-It's the second time in as many years that Staalbo has clinched the championship match for the Jaguars.
-In posting the Jaguars' first point of the day in the semifinals, Schütz claimed each of the first two holes and was 4 up at the turn after sinking a 55-foot eagle putt on No. 17.
-Karlsson was 1 down when he too eagled the 17th in the morning round, and after going 1 up with a par on No. 1 he matched Gudjonsson on each of the last eight holes.
-In the semifinals Mendel won three of the first seven holes with birdies, never leading by less than two the rest of the way.
-Karlsson never led on the front nine in the finals, going up for the first time on the 10th hole before taking the lead for good on No. 13.
-Mendel birdied the opening hole of the finals, and after another birdie on No. 4 the senior was 2 up or better the rest of the match.
-In fact, the only time throughout the day that Mendel was not ahead in his matches was after halving the opening hole of the morning round.
-Staalbo was all square through 11 holes in the last match-up of the final, but after winning three of the next four holes he closed out the match on No. 17.

THEY SAID IT
Head coach Ben Hannan
On winning the Southern Collegiate Match Play title for the second straight year: "I'm really proud of the guys today, there were a lot of tightly-contested matches and good golf so we were fortunate to come out again on the right side; I'm happy for them as they defended the title.  It is so competitive nowadays that it is hard to win, we are certainly excited and going to enjoy this for a couple of days."
On the play of Jason Mendel and Rasmus Karlsson: "Jason was in complete control of both matches all day, he played really solid golf, hit a lot of quality golf shots and applied a lot of pressure because he had good looks that he was able to capitalize on.  He was under par in both matches and played solid golf from tee to green.  Rasmus hit the golf ball extremely well all day and was able to make some clutch shots and saves when he needed to in order to win both of his matches 1 up."
On coming back from a 2-0 deficit in the championship match: "All of the matches were pretty close, really everybody was playing good golf.  We were just trying to support the guys hoping for a good outcome.  Peter was in the last group, we didn't know he was 3 up until we got there.  He hit two nice golf shots on No. 17 into the front bunker where he executed a great shot to about six feet, his playing partner missed his birdie putt and conceded the hole and the match.  It was a lot of fun with a lot of team support, everybody was out there cheering for each other.  It's so competitive that it's nice to win, we want to enjoy it when we do."

Up next: The Jaguars will wrap up the regular season at Mississippi State's Old Waverly Collegiate Championship, which will begin on Monday, April 16.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

Join the Birdie Club — the men's golf specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund. All donations to the Birdie Club go directly to support the South Alabama men's golf program. For more information on how you can join visit:  jaguarathleticfund.com/birdieclub.

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