DeLand, Fla. - The Stetson men's golf team opened its 2011 spring season with two days of Ryder Cup-style competition against Army Saturday-Sunday at Victoria Hills Golf Club in Deland, narrowly falling 6.5 points to 5.5 points to the Black Knights.  Senior Gabe Costa (Tequesta, Fla.) and junior Sam Ryder (Longwood, Fla.) won both of their matches the last two days for the Hatters.

Costa and Ryder teamed up for a dominating 5 & 4 win in Saturday's best-ball format over Army's Ethan Johnson and Matt Krembel; in Sunday's singles play they defeated Michael Zierdt and Matt Philie, respectively.  Stetson had a 3-1 lead over Army after Saturday's best ball matches but the Black Knights would come back for the overall victory with 5.5 points in the first six singles matches on Sunday.

Stetson is  off until February 28, when it starts traditional tournament play at the Charleston (S.C.) Shootout.  The tournament runs through March 1.

SATURDAY BEST BALL RESULTS

MATT LAWRENCE/ED WALLER (STETSON) def. Matt Philie/David Marx (Army) 1-up

Brandon Baerwaldt/Michael Zierdt (Army) def. ADAM KIPI/MICHAEL STEWART (STETSON) 5 & 4

MICAH JACOBSEN/ANDREW SCHIANO (STETSON) def. Eric Park/William Park (Army) 2-up

GABE COSTA/SAM RYDER (STETSON) def. Ethan Johnson/Matt Krembel (Army) 5 & 4

SUNDAY SINGLES RESULTS

Ethan Johnson (Army) def. ED WALLER (STETSON) 4 & 3

Eric Park (Army) def. MATT LAWRENCE (STETSON) 1-up

Brandt Baerwaldt (Army) def. MICHAEL STEWART (STETSON) 1-up

Matt Krembel (Army) def. ADAM KIPI (STETSON) 2 & 1

William Park (Army) def. MICAH JACOBSEN (STETSON) 4 & 3

ANDREW SCHIANO (STETSON) halved David Marx (Army)

GABE COSTA (STETSON) def. Michael Zierdt (Army) 3 & 2

SAM RYDER (STETSON) def. Matt Philie (Army) 4 & 3