After losing three matches in their first tournament of the year, the Seton Hall men's golf team knows exactly what challenges are in front of them.
Competing in The Match Play, a tournament at the Reunion Resort in Florida, the Pirates competed against Cleveland State along with Big East foes Marquette and DePaul on Monday and Tuesday.
On Monday, Seton Hall faced off with Marquette in the opening round, losing 4.5-2.5. They followed up that round with another loss to Cleveland State, 7-0.
Tuesday was not a much better result for the Pirates, losing to DePaul 6-1.
However, according to coach Clay White, this youthful team has a lot of potential. In the Match Play, the Pirates rolled out five freshman in their lineup.
With junior Gary Dunne out due to an injury, White had to rely on an inexperienced group.
"Being a young team, it got some guys experience playing in a tournament," White said. "This tournament allowed them to evaluate their game, it shows them they thought they had been working hard, but they have to work harder."
After their first of six tournaments, the Pirates now have almost a month off, which allows them to assess their game and focus on their weaknesses.
Freshman standout David Cha was upbeat about the team's performance, saying this is just the beginning of a long season.
"Everyone knows they can be so much better," he said. "We're disappointed, but motivated about our game."
Cha has been looked at by Clay and the rest of the team as someone who can really make an impact this spring. Even as a freshman, he is one of the more experienced golfers on the team, playing in several tournaments in the fall for the Pirates.
"I'm trying to make progress as I work on my swing and strength," Cha said. "The result is everything, but right now I'm focused on the progress I am making with my game."
The team as a whole has high hopes for the remainder of their season, hoping that their young guns push through the growing pains and gain some valuable experience.
The Pirates are back in action March 8, in South Carolina after a long layoff.
Kenny Lenoci can be reached at Kenneth.lenoci@student.shu.edu.
