Concord, N.H. – On the strength of back-to-back birdies by sophomore Tyler Birdd (Elma, N.Y./Iroquois) on his final two holes, the Le Moyne College men's golf team finished in second place at the Northeast-10 Conference Championships as play concluded Wednesday at Concord Country Club.

The defending conference champion Dolphins slipped past host Southern New Hampshire University by one stroke (594-595) for second place in the final team standings after posting scores of 293 and 301 during the two-day, 36-hole competition. Assumption University claimed the conference title for the second time in three years with a score of 579 off rounds of 289 and 290 and landing all five of its competitors in the Top 10 of the final individual standings. Jeff Liss of Southern New Hampshire took home the individual championship, following rounds of 68 and 73 to shoot a combined one-over par 141 and win by three strokes over Assumption's Sean Magarian.

"I thought our players competed hard in their defense of the NE10 title," said head coach Joe Tesori '71. "Concord Country Club was a great site and playing with Assumption and SNHU on the final day was a great experience for my guys. We played admirably, learned a lot about ourselves and that will help us going forward. My congrats to Assumption and Coach O'Hara."
 
Birdd and classmate Spencer Baum (Syracuse, N.Y./Liverpool) led the way for the Dolphins with matching 145s to finish in a five-way tie for third place.

Coming down the 18th in the final pairing with the teams tied, Birdd managed to birdie, giving the Dolphins a one-stroke advantage over Southern New Hampshire, whose final player recorded a par on the hole. In the last four holes, Birdd had three birdies to close out his back nine with a 38. On the front, Birdd had one birdie and shot a 37 to total a 75, which put him in a tie with Baum and three others for third.

Baum totaled a career-best 145 to finish in a tie for third after rounds of 72 and 73. Baum started hot in the final round with a birdie on the first hole, followed by two pars. He closed out his front nine with two pars to finish one over and shoot a 35. After a birdie on 17 and a par on 18, Baum closed out his back nine with a three-over 38.

Last year's NE10 champion, Nicholas Bove (Syracuse, N.Y./West Genesee) shot rounds of 77 and 74 with a combined score of 151 to finish in a tie for 20th. Freshman Johnny Gruninger (Syracuse, N.Y./ Manlius Pebble Hill) finished in a tie for 24th following rounds of 74 and 79 for a combined score of 153. Junior Maxwell Dec (Baldwinsville, N.Y./C.W. Baker) finished in a tie for 31st, after shooting a combined score of 156 off of rounds of 77 and 79.
 
The Dolphins tee it up next at Watertown Golf Club in Watertown, Conn. for the Post Eagles Invitational on October 11th and 12th. The Dolphins will then return home to host their fall invitational at Bellevue Country Club on October 15th and 16th.
 
For the latest updates, visit LeMoyneDolphins.com and check out the men's golf team Twitter and Instagram (@LeMoyneMGolf).