ELK GROVE, Calif. — Led my medalist Luke Kristo, the Sacramento State men's golf team pulled away from the field to win the Sacramento State Invitational team title on Tuesday at Valley Hi Country Club. The Hornets finished with a three-round total of 854 after shooting 280 (8-under par) on Tuesday. That single-round score is tied for the ninth best in school history while the total ranks as the sixth lowest by a Hornet team.

Kristo continued his hot play, which began midway through the first round, to record his first collegiate victory. After playing his first 12 holes of the tournament at 4-over par, the senior played the remaining 42 at 12-under. He played bogey-free golf during the final round with six birdies. Kristo entered the 18th hole with a 1-stroke lead ahead of Pacific Byron Meth who was playing in the foursome behind him. Knowing he likely needed a birdie to stay in the lead, Kristo drained a putt on the par-5, 595-yard hole to move to 6-under. That score is tied for his career best and is the sixth-lowest in school history. His 54-hole total of 208 is tied for the fourth best.

Sophomore Taylor Knoll helped the Hornets extend their lead during the final round with a 4-under par round of 68. Knoll birdied four of his first six holes but a pair of bogeys left him at 2-under at the turn. He began the back nine with three consecutive pars before birdies on the par-5 13th and the par-3 14th. He closed out his round with four more pars. Overall, Knoll shot 79-76-68-223 to tie for 26th place.

The other three members of the Sacramento State lineup shot 73 during the final round. Sophomore Robert Parden recorded his best career finish by placing third after shooting 67-71-73-211. Parden held the individual lead for most of the day, playing his first 11 holes at 2-under. However, a stretch of three bogeys on Nos. 12-14, dropped him out of the top spot. Parden recovered with pars on Nos. 15 and 16 and pulled within one with a birdie on the par-4 17th before ending with a bogey on No. 18.

Aaron Beverly joined Kristo and Parden in the top 10 as he tied for seventh after shooting 74-71-73-218. Beverly was 2-over at the midway point of his round with nine holes that were comprised of two birdies, four pars, two bogeys and a double bogey. On the back nine, he birdied the par-4 11th to go along with eight pars.

Riley Hayfield rounded out the lineup at 73-78-73-224 to tie for 28th. Hayfield was 1-under at the turn with the help of birdies on the par-5 fourth and eighth. He parred his first five holes on the back side of the course before a pair of bogeys on Nos. 15 and 16.

Sacramento State also had a pair of individuals in the field. Cody Bates and Zach Liberatore each totaled 230 to tie for 60th overall.

Pacific took second in the team race with a total of 867. Seattle (882), Bristish Columbia (886) and Chico State (887) completed the top five.

The victory was the Hornets' second of the season and marked the team's fifth consecutive top five showing.

Sacramento State will next compete at the Lone Star Invitational in San Antonio, Texas, on March 23-24.

SACRAMENTO STATE INVITATIONAL
Valley Hi Country Club | Elk Grove, Calif.
Par 72 | 7064 Yards

TEAM SCORES
1. Sacramento State 286-288-280-854
2. Pacific 283-298-286-867
3. Seattle 308-285-289-882
4. British Columbia 301-294-291-886
5. Chico State 295-290-302-887
6. Cal Poly 293-299-297-889
7. Grand Canyon 310-294-286-890
8. Weber State 301-297-294-892
9. Southern Utah 310-293-297-900
10. Cal State Fullerton 303-311-296-910
11. South Dakota 304-306-301-911
12. Northern Colorado 305-305-306-916
13. Nebraska-Omaha 312-309-305-926
14. North Dakota 315-305-315-935
15. CSU Bakersfield 323-305-309-937
16. Texas-Pan American 315-319-310-944

INDIVIDUAL TOP FIVE
1. Luke Kristo, SAC, 72-70-66-208
2. Byron Meth, PAC 70-70-70-210
3. Robert Parden, SAC, 67-71-73-211
4. Frank Garber, WASH, 70-73-70-213
5. Lee Gearhart, CHICO, 73-71-72-216

SACRAMENTO STATE SCORES
1. Luke Kristo 72-70-66-208
3. Robert Parden 67-71-73-211
T7. Aaron Beverly 74-71-73-218
T26. Taylor Knoll 79-76-68-223
T28. Riley Hayfield 73-78-73-224
T60. Zach Liberatore 77-78-75-230*
T60. Cody Bates 73-76-81-230*
* Competed as an individual