BETHLEHEM (Pa.) -- The Delaware Valley University men's golf team opened the 2021-22 season with a team score of 333 (+45), led by sophomore Ethan Saxe's five-over round of 77, to earn sixth place overall and finish as the top conference team of the day at the Moravian Weyhill Classic at Saucon Valley Country Club in Bethlehem on Monday afternoon. 

The team total of 333 is seven strokes better than the squad's lowest mark from a season ago. The Aggies carded team scores of 345 and 340 at the two-day 2021 Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom championship tournament where they finished fourth out of eight teams overall.

Saucon Valley Country Club played to 6,553 yards and of par of 72 under mostly calm conditions on Monday. Sophomore Ethan Saxe made his first career start a memorable won as he led the team with a five-par, 77, to finish tied-sixth. Saxe was five-over through seven holes, but played the last 12 holes at even par with birdies on the par-5 ninth and and par-4 13th. Saxe had five bogeys and went double-bogey on the fifth hole, a 174-yard par-3. 

First-year Mark Gates also made his collegiate debut a good one as he and sophomore all-conference honoree Robert Meredith each had seven pars in their rounds to finish tied-25th overall with an 85 (+13). Junior Jake Kinzer matched his best round from a season ago as he finished one-stroke behind Gates and Meredith with a 14-over, 86. Senior Ryan Obes rounded out the group with a 99 (+27).

The Aggies finished in sixth place, but just four strokes back of the University of Scranton for a top-5 finish. Gettysburg college led the way with a team score of 302 (+14) and Alvernia University came in second with a score of 307 (+19). The top individiuals were a pair of Golden Knights from Alvernia with rounds of 74, just two-over par. Three of the four Bullets student athletes shot a 75 (+3) while the fourth member was just two strokes back at +5 (77). 

DelVal will return for another fall match on October 5th at Brookside Country Club for a duel against DeSales. The Bulldogs carded a team score of 363 (+75) to finish ninth at the Weyhill Classic.