Reading, Pa. (Sept. 28, 2009) - Albright College earned 3 1/2 points Monday afternoon in day two of the John Yocum Challenge Cup to retain the cup by a 5 1/2 - 3 1/2 total over Alvernia University.  The Lions are now on a three year win streak after Alvernia took the first two cups.

Alvernia actually drew first blood on Monday with freshman Tim Pici (Malvern, Pa./West Chester East) earning a 3&2 win in match 8.  Shortly after that, match 9, a contest between the top two players from each school, Alvernia freshman Casey Osborne (Lititz, Pa./Warwick) and Albright sophomore Erik Thorn, was decided on the 17th hole with Thorn taking a 2&1 decision.

Alvernia sophomore Justin Arnt (Myerstown, Pa./ELCO) followed with a 2&1 win over Dave Morano to level the overall score and the cup came down to matches 4, 5, and 6 which started on the back nine and were approaching the par 3 ninth.

Match 6 between Alvernia sophomore Matt Tirpak (Toms River, N.J./Toms River North) and Albright junior Matt Osorio was the only one of the three, and the only one of the day, to go the distance.  Both players found the green off the tee, and after Osorio left his birdie putt 18 inches short, Tirpak's putt to win slid past on the low side and both players cleaned up for the halve. 

Alvernia sophomore Steve Werst walked over the hill from the par four seventh a 3&2 winner over Alvernia sophomore Bill Dale (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan), and Drew Reich did the same for Albright with a 3&2 win over Alvernia freshman Scott Downes (Sinking Spring, Pa./High Point Baptist).

Osborne and Thorn were locked in a tussle all day with Thorn taking a 1-up lead four times only to have Osborne later square the match.  Thorn, who was 1-under thru 17, finally took his first 2-up lead on 15 when Osborne bogied, but the Alvernia freshman answered back winning 16 with a par.  Osborne's 9-iron approach from 150 yards out on 17 flew directly over the pin and Thorn took advantage with a well placed wedge setting up a birdie on the deciding hole.

Pici's 3-over play thru 16 holes was enough to take down Brett Cybulski in match 8.  The play was much the same with Pici being the first to have a 2-up lead when he parred the par 4 14th.  He followed that with a great up-and-down on 15 for par to go 3-up and his fourth straight par on 16 was good enough to close the match.

Arnt and Morano halved each of the first three holes before Morano chipped in from the fringe on 4.  He followed with a winning par on 5, but Arnt answered with the same on 6 to return to 1-down and won 9 with a delicate chip from pin-high left that stopped within gimme range to level the match.

Arnt won 10 and 11 with pars, Morano's birdie on 4 ended as the only of the day between the two, and Morano won 12 before back-to-back pars for Arnt were winners on 13 and 14.  He had a chance to go dormie, but burned the hole for par on 15.  Once again back-to-back pars were good enough for Arnt who walked off 17 a 2&1 winner.

Tirpak actually won his first two holes of the day and was 2-up thru five holes before Osorio closed the back nine with wins on each of the last four holes to take a 2-up lead at the turn.  Tirpak won at the par 5 first, but Osorio stretched the lead back to 2-up with a downhill 15-foot birdie on 3.

Tirpak won 6 and 7 and neither player could earn the full point as they halved 8 and 9.

Also starting on the back side, Dale won 10 with an up-and-down from the bunker and regained his 1-up lead with a chip in birdie on 18.  After losing his first drive on 1 Dale sunk a 30-footer to save bogey, but Werst leveled the match sinking a 15-footer for par.

Werst birdied 2 and won 5 with a par before closing the match, 3&2, with a birdie on the par 4 seventh.

In match 4 between Downes and Reich it was Downes who took the 1-up lead on the first nine holes four different times.  Reich answered winning holes 1, 2, and 3 to go 2-up, but he doubled 4 as Downes cut the gap in half.  Bogies halved the long par 4 fifth and Reich made 3 on each of the final two for the 3&2 win.

Alvernia and Albright will both be in action again on Thursday at the Messiah College Fall Invitational.

Albright Wins Yocum Cup, 5 1/2 - 3 1/2
Match 4 - Drew Reich (Alb) def. Scott Downes (Alv) 3&2
Match 5 - Steve Werst (Alb) def. Bill Dale (Alv) 3&2
Match 6 - Matt Tirpak (Alv) halved Matt Osorio (Alb) All Sq.
Match 7 - Justin Arnt (Alv) def. Dave Morano (Alb) 2&1
Match 8 - Tim Pici (Alv) def. Brett Cybulski (Alb) 3&2
Match 9 - Erik Thorn (Alb) def. Casey Osborne (Alv) 2&1

Saturday's Results from Reading Country Club (Fourball)
Match 1 - Casey Osborne/Matt Tirpak (Alv) def. Matt Osorio/Erik Thorn (Alb) 2&1
Match 2 - Brett Cybulski/Dave Morano (Alb) def. Scott Downes/Tim Pici (Alv) 1-up
Match 3 - Brody Blessing/Steve Werst (Alb) def. Justin Arnt/Bill Dale (Alv) 2&1