The GW golf team suffered a bit of a setback last week in an otherwise successful season, finishing 17th out of 18 teams at the Old Dominion University/Seascape Collegiate Golf Tournament.

Host ODU won the two-day 36-hole tournament Oct. 26-27 with an overall score of 559 (17-under). Coastal Carolina University finished second with 560 (16-under).

The Colonials finished 17th with an overall score of 610 (34-over) on the par-72 course. Sophomore Gavin Parsons had the best tournament for GW, finishing with a 149. He was followed in order by Tim Derdenger (152), Bryan Derdenger (154), Tim Blankvoort (159) and Michael Goldman (159). Parsons and the Derdenger twins automatically qualified for the next tournament.

“Our scores were comparable to the ones we’ve been posting all year, but all five guys would have had to play their best games ever if we were to have any chance at all,” GW head coach Scott Allen said. “These are some of the best teams in the nation.”

Despite their low finish, the Colonials posted their best-ever overall score at the ODU tournament in seven appearances. The team’s score of 610 surpasses the old record of 619, Allen said.

GW’s finish at this tournament doesn’t hurt its chances of making the postseason, as most of the teams that played in the tournament are not in the Colonials’ district, Allen said.

However, GW’s last tournament of the fall season – next weekend’s Delaware-Caves Valley Invitational – is almost exclusively District II teams.

“If we finish in first place at our last tournament, and I really believe we can with the way we’ve been playing this year, then our team has a great shot at finishing in the top 10 (in the District) for the fall,” Allen said. “This would go a long way toward helping our playoff chances in the spring.”