CORTLAND, N.Y. – Cortland senior Raz Taylert (Ithaca/Charles O. Dickerson) earned medalist honors with a two-day score of 162 to lead the Red Dragons to a first-place finish at the two-day Empire 8 Spring Invitational tournament. The opening round of the tournament was held at The Country Club of Ithaca on Saturday and the second round was conducted at the Cortland Country Club on Sunday.

Cortland, ranked 21st nationally in Division III by Golf World and the National Golf Coaches Association, finished with a two-day score of 691. Nazareth was second at 725 and Ithaca placed third at 773. St. John Fisher, Elmira and William Smith also entered golfers but did not field complete teams. In addition to being a two-day tournament, the competition also served as the final two rounds of the four-round Empire 8 conference championships for Nazareth, Ithaca, St. John Fisher and Elmira.

Taylert carded an 80 in Ithaca on Saturday and an 82 in Cortland on Sunday, the best individual score each day. Nazareth's Michelle Van Slyke finished second with a 168 (82-86) and St. John Fisher's Alexandra Battle was third with a 173 (89-84).

Cortland junior Meghan Brunswick (Oneonta) and senior Rebecca Infante (Carmel/Mahopac) were part of a three-way tie for fourth place, each with a 174. Brunswick totaled 86 on Saturday and 88 on Sunday, while Infante had an 88 on Saturday and 86 on Sunday. Freshman Ashley Meng (Penfield) finished eighth with a 181 (98-83) and freshman Alissa Ryczek (Utica/New Hartford) was 13th with a 195 (100-95) in the 23-golfer field.

EMPIRE 8 SPRING INVITATIONAL (April 24-25, 2010) (Ithaca, N.Y. and Cortland, N.Y.)

FINAL TEAM SCORES:

Place, School    Day 1-Day 2= Total

1) Cortland       352-339=691
2) Nazareth      360-355=725
3) Ithaca           381-392=773

(St. John Fisher, William Smith and Elmira also competed but did not field complete teams)


INDIVIDUAL SCORES:

Name (School)              Day 1 - Day 2 = Total

1) Raz Taylert (Cortland)                         80-82=162
2) Michelle Van Slyke (Nazareth)            82-86=168
3) # Alexandra Battle (St. John Fisher)   89-84=173
tie 4) Meghan Brunswick (Cortland)        86-88=174
tie 4) Rebecca Infante (Cortland)            88-86=174
tie 4) Meg Hardy (Nazareth)                    90-84=174

7) Jackie Young (Ithaca)                          94-86=180
8) Ashley Meng (Cortland)                       98-83=181
9) Lisa Nazarenko (Nazareth)                  94-92=186
10) Kate Holland (Nazareth)                     94-93=187

11) Brooke Llobell (Ithaca)                      92-96=188
12) # Kristen Niemann (Elmira)               96-97=193
13) Alissa Ryczek (Cortland)                  100-95=195
14) # Lisa Rosengarten (Elmira)             101-96=197
15) # Katie Joslyn (St. John Fisher)        101-97=198

16) # Jessica Van Leuvan (Elmira)          96-105=201
17) Samantha Liberty (Ithaca)                 98-106=204
18) Lauren Ryan (Ithaca)                       101-104=205
19) # Jess Popp (William Smith)            100-108=208
20) # Colleen Richards (William Smith)  106-103=209

21) # Trilbey Smith (William Smith)        123-111=234
22) # Katie Fandrich (St. John Fisher)   113-122=235
Laurel Stinson (Ithaca)                             97-Inc.

# Individual entry