TEXARKANA, Arkansas – The Louisiana Tech golf team won in dramatic fashion over Middle Tennessee, but the Bulldogs ended up falling to top-seeded Charlotte in the match play finals Thursday of the 2023 Conference USA Men's Golf Championship.
 
No. 3 seed LA Tech pulled off a minor upset in the semifinals at the Texarkana Country Club, winning 3-2 against No. 2 seed Middle Tennessee who came in as the highest ranked C-USA team at 69.  

The Bulldogs turned around and faced Charlotte, the defending league champions and the No. 1 seed as a result of finishing first after three rounds of stroke play.  LA Tech held a slim lead in four of the five pairings as the players made the turn, but the 49ers pulled it out with a 3-2 victory.
 
Lake Juban got the winning started for the 'Dogs in the semis, defeating Kevin Jegers 2&1.  Individual champion James Swash followed with a second point, taking down Gavin Clements 5&3.  The Blue Raiders countered though with points by Michael Barnard (4&2) and Owen Stamper (3&2).
 
The team match came down to LA Tech's Thomas Henson and MTSU's Carter Maneth.  With the Blue Raider up one going to the final hole, Henson ended up winning the hole after parring No. 9 while Maneth three-putted.  Now all square going to the 19th hole (No. 1), Henson drained a 20-foot putt for birdie that propelled the 'Dogs into the finals.

.@thomaslhenson sends us to the finals!!! pic.twitter.com/9yLmguI3Zi

— LA Tech Golf (@LATechGolf) April 27, 2023

 
The matchup versus the 49ers played out much the same way as Juban got the Bulldogs on the scoreboard by outlasting Dongjin Park in 19 holes.  Charlotte came charging down the stretch though, getting points from Carson Ownbey (6&5) and Conor Gough (2&1). 
 
In the end, it was Charlotte's Ben Woodruff who clinched the crown for the 49ers with a par on No. 17 to defeat Hunter Battles, 2&1. 
 
QUOTABLES
Interim head coach Colton Primm
 
"I am incredibly proud of this team.  To go through everything they have been through this spring with coach Terry's absence and respond the way that they did shows a lot of maturity."
 
"I commend coach Terry for the culture he has instilled in this program.  These guys are resilient and never once complained or gave up when things did not go their way this season.  Instead, they rallied around each other and accomplished something this week that has not been done at Louisiana Tech in several years.  That is something they should be proud of."
 
MATCH PLAY RESULTS
FINALS -- Charlotte 3, Louisiana Tech 2
Lake Juban, Louisiana Tech 1 Up (19 holes) over Dongjin Park, Charlotte
Conor Gough, Charlotte 2&1 over Thomas Henson, Louisiana Tech
Ben Woodruff, Charlotte 2&1 over Hunter Battles, Louisiana Tech
James Swash, Louisiana Tech 2&1 over Caden Baker, Charlotte
Carson Ownbey, Charlotte 6&5 over Will Patrick, Louisiana Tech

SEMIFINALS – Louisiana Tech 3, Middle Tennessee 2
Lake Juban, Louisiana Tech 2&1 over Kevin Jegers, Middle Tennessee
Thomas Henson, Louisiana Tech 1 Up (19 holes) over Carter Maneth, Middle Tennessee
Michael Barnard, Middle Tennessee 4&2 over Hunter Battles, Louisiana Tech
James Swash, Louisiana Tech 5&3 over Gavin Clements, Middle Tennessee
Owen Stamper, Middle Tennessee 3&2 over Will Patrick, Louisiana Tech
 
UP NEXT
Bulldog James Swash will learn what regional site he will play at as an individual in the 2023 NCAA D1 Men's Golf Championship.  The selection show, which will be televised on the Golf Channel, takes place on Wednesday, May 3 at Noon CT
 
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