Haapala finishes third overall in collegiate debut to lead Ravens to team title

CANDIA, N.H. (October 11, 2007) – The Franklin Pierce University golf team captured the team title at the Saint Anselm College Fall Classic on the 6,550-yard par-71 layout at Candia Woods Country Club this afternoon.

Franklin Pierce posted a 327 team score at the five-team event, defeating second-place and host Saint Anselm (331) by four strokes. Northeast-10 Conference champions Bentley College placed third (335), the University of Massachusetts Lowell was fourth (336) and Assumption College fifth (342). The victory is the second for the Ravens at this event, having captured the team title in 2002 to go with a second place finish in 2005.

Freshman Justin Haapala (Danielson, Conn./Killingly) shined in his collegiate debut, carding a 79 to lead Franklin Pierce and place third overall, just one stroke off the pace. Saint Anselm sophomore Mike Daly (Plymouth, Mass./Sacred Heart) and Assumption freshman Rick Bylund (Auburn, Mass./Auburn) both finished with 78s, with Daly earning medalist honors on card comparison.

Sophomore Peter Panopoulos (Rindge, N.H./Conant) posted a score of 82 for Franklin Pierce to place seventh overall. Senior Craig Jasinski (Chelmsford, Mass./Chelmsford) and junior Corey Dunn (Port Jefferson, N.Y./Comsewogue) each carded an 83 for 11th-place, while senior Kevin Rossi (Kingston, N.Y./Kingston) finished 13th overall with a round of 84.

Franklin Pierce is back in action next Tuesday, October 16, when it hosts the Franklin Pierce Autumn Invitational at The Shattuck, in Jaffrey, at noon.