The Waynesburg University Yellow Jackets defeated Bethany 3-1 in match play at the Greene County Country Club on Monday, April 14.

Junior Matt Karpeal finished the day in second place out of 14 players. He ended the day with 74 strokes across 18 holes. 

“Lots of practice and preparation is necessary to play well in events. Practicing all kinds of different shots really helps perform when you need to,” Karpeal wrote in an email interview. “Composure is also very important to playing well. You have to focus on the good shots you have hit for the day and let the negativity and bad shots go. If you dwell on the bad things, you’ll play bad as well.”

Karpeal, along with sophomore Nate Barnhart and senior Tyler Rollinson won their match-ups, while freshman Alan Tarolli finished the day in fourth with 76 strokes.

“The secret really isn’t a secret it’s just that most people don’t do it, and it all comes down to how much you practice and if you do it right, and to maintain composure all comes down to how comfortable you are, I’ve been in a lot of high pressure moments in golf and other sports so I feel like I do pretty well under pressure, but also some people are different and can never overcome it,” Tarolli said when asked to the secret of performing well.

This is Mike Cipoletti’s sixth season as the Waynesburg University men’s head golf coach, and his fourth season as the women’s coach.

Cipoletti commends the team for constantly helping and being there with each other.

“We often think of golf as a solo sport.  But, at our level, the only way you can really advance into post-season play is to win as a team,” Cipoletti wrote. “So, golf teams that have healthy internal competition, accountability and encouragement for one another usually outperform teams that are lacking in those areas.  We obviously have golfers at different skill levels.  Our top players are always willing to give strategy or swing advice to lower skill players, and I think that helps a lot.  We’ve been blessed to have respectful, good-hearted student-athletes on our men’s and women’s teams, and I’ve been very happy with our culture as far as trust, respect and positivity.  In the end, when teammates are genuinely invested in each other, it creates opportunities for everyone to improve and for the team to have the best chance to be successful.”

Waynesburg tees off at the Presidents’ Athletic Conference Spring Championships on April 25 at the Mill Creek Golf Course in Boardman, Ohio.