Nov. 9, 2005

HOUSTON - The University of Houston junior varsity golf team fired its best score of the tournament Wednesday and capped the fall season with a seventh-place finish at the Battle at the Bend.

The Cougars posted a team score of 293 during the final 18 holes to better their previous round by nine strokes on the 6,707-yard, par-72 course at Cypress Bend Golf Resort. However, the team was unable to move up in the final team standings.

New Orleans won the team championship with a 54-hole total of 860. Southeastern Louisiana finished second at 869 and was followed by Rice (877), Tulane (882), Sam Houston State (887) and host Louisiana-Lafayette (895).

Individually, freshman Todd Bissenden, competing in his first collegiate tournament, fired a 3-under-par 69 Wednesday to finish in a tie for 13th place at 269. Senior Brett Burke joined Bissenden with a sub-par round of his own Wednesday, shooting a 71 to move into a tie for 32nd place at 228.

Other Cougars in action were Adam Young (229, t-38th), Steven Frazier (230, t-41st) and Jeremy Reed (233, t-50th).

Rice's Parker LaBarge captured medalist honors with a 5-under-par 211 to finish two strokes ahead of New Orleans' Anthony Cantu.

The tournament was the final fall event of the season for the Cougars. The varsity team returns to action on Feb. 19-20 at the Club de Golf Santa Anita/North Texas Classic in Guadalajara Mexico.

Team Results
1. New Orleans 284-283-293 -- 860
2. Southeastern Louisiana 292-289-288 -- 869
3. Rice 288-289-300 -- 877
4. Tulane 293-293-296 -- 882
5. Sam Houston State 298-293-296 -- 887
6. Louisiana-Lafayette 298-292-305 -- 895
7. Houston JV 302-304-293 -- 899
8. Stephen F. Austin 305-302-298 -- 905
9. Texas State 301-310-298 -- 909
10. Nicholls State 303-303-305 -- 911
11. McNeese State 301-310-307 -- 918
12. Texas-Pan American 305-310-306 -- 921
13. Centenary 299-328-329 -- 956

Individual Leaderboard
1. Parker LaBarge, Rice 69-69-73 -- 211
2. Anthony Cantu, New Orleans 72-71-70 -- 213
T3. Adam Cornelson, New Orleans 71-70-73 -- 214
T3. Matthew Carvell, Southeastern Louisiana 71-69-74 -- 214
5. Michael Smith, Louisiana-Lafayette 71-69-75 -- 215
T6. Michael Thompson, Tulane 73-74-69 - 216
T6. Donny Schmitt, Nicholls State 70-73-73 -- 216
T6. Addison Awe, Rice 72-70-74 -- 216
T6. Jason Kuperman, New Orleans 71-71-74 -- 216
T10. Hugo Leon, Southeastern Louisiana 74-69-74 -- 217
T10. Robert Gwin, Sam Houston State 68-74-75 -- 217

Houston Cougars Leaderboard
T24. Todd Bissenden Houston JV 76-74-69 -- 219
T53. Brett Burke Houston JV 80-77-71 -- 228
T34. Adam Young Houston JV 75-77-77 -- 229
T42. Steven Frazier Houston JV 73-81-76 -- 230
T42. Jeremy Reed Houston JV 78-76-79 -- 233