NIU’s men’s golf hit the links for the Mid-American Match Play Monday and Tuesday at the South Course Lake Jovita Golf and Country Club in Dade City, Fla.

Wins by Nick Schiavi, Griffin Bauman, Matt Gorman and Kurtis Luedtke against Miami (Ohio) highlighted the Huskies’ third place finish at the conference tournament.

“We feel like we can play with anyone out there,” Schiavi said. “We compete every time we are out there.”

The Huskies ranked fourth and won four of the six matches played against fifth seed Toledo in the first round.

Victories by Emory, Dunne, Bauman and Luedke propelled NIU to win the first round matchup against the Rockets and put it in the semifinals.

The event’s host, Ball State, was the No. 1 seed heading into the tournament, and won four of its six matches, plus one tie against Ohio.

The second round of play was postponed due to darkness. Tuesday morning, the second round resumed, and the Cardinals ended up winning three of six matches and tying the Huskies. NIU victories were led by Schiavi and Bauman.

After the defeat to the Cardinals, the Huskies turned around quickly to face Miami (Ohio) to compete for third place. During the match, Schiavi got a hole-in-one on hole 14, a par-three hole.

“I threw my arms up and saw coach Porten running around,” Schiavi said.

Bauman won all three matches. The redshirt junior was the only Huskie to go undefeated in match play.

Ball State won the tournament against Eastern Michigan.