Trim leads Villanova to fourth-place finish in Coca-Cola Lafayette Invitational

   With Lucas Trim leading the way, Villanova clawed its way to a fourth-place finish in the Coca-Cola Lafayette Invitational, which concluded Monday at Silver Creek Country Club in Hellertown.

   Trim of Tampa, Fla. is the lone senior on the Villanova roster and there is no better way to show some leadership than going out and playing some good golf. Trim had rounds of 72 and 71 over the 6,655-yard, par-72 Silver Creek layout to finish in a tie for first at 1-under 143 before falling in a playoff to end up with a share of second place.

   Connecticut, the highest-ranked team in the field in the latest Golfstat rankings at 121^st, fired the only sub-par team round of the tournament, a 1-under 287 in Monday’s final round, to cruise to the team title at 6-over 582.

   Drexel bounced back from an opening-round 307 with a 1-over 289 to get a share of second place with Bryant at 20-over 596. Bryant had a pair of 298s.

Villanova improved off a 307 in the opening round with a 298 in the second round to finish alone in fourth at 29-over 605. Fordham rounded out the top five in the 16-team field another eight shots behind Villanova at 613.

   UConn was led by Eric Dietrich, a senior from Cheshire, Conn. who carded a 2-under 70 in the final round to finish in the tie with Trim and Wagner’s Anton Frondelius, a senior from Sweden. Frondelius fired a 2-under 70 in Sunday’s opening round and added a 73 in the final round.

   Trim and Frondelius parred the first playoff hole with Dietrich being eliminated with a bogey. Frondelius then parred the second playoff hole while Trim made a bogey as Frondelius claimed the individual title.

   All five players in Connecticut’s lineup cracked the top 11, including four in the top eight.

Tim Umphrey, a freshman from Northborough, Mass, matched par in the second round to finish alone in fourth at 2-over 146. Jimmy Hervol,  a sophomore from Hopington, Mass., was another shot back in a tie for fifth at 147 after a final-round 73.

   Nabeel Khan, a sophomore from Westerville, Ohio, also matched par in the final round with a 72 to finish tied for eighth at 4-over 148. Tyler Cooke, a senior from Warwick, R.I., finished tied for 11^th at 5-over 149.

   Backing up Trim for Villanova was junior Andy Butler, a former Manheim Township standout who matched par in the second round with a 72 to finish tied for 16^th at 150. Connor Daly, a freshman from Bronxville, N.Y. coming off claiming a share of the individual title at the Wildcat Invitational, finished tied for 42^nd. Daly had rounds of 76 and 79 for a 155 total.

   Will Byrne, a junior from McLean, Va., finished tied for 55^th at 157 and Andrew Bowyer, a sophomore from Summit, N.J., finished tied for 92^nd at 165.

   Andrew MacMillan, a junior from Scottsdale, Ariz., teed it up as individual and made his case for inclusion in the next team lineup by finishing in a tie for 11^th at 149. MacMillan had rounds of 74 and 75.

   Drexel was led by junior Aaron Fricke, a former Garden Spot standout who finished tied for fifth at 147, one of four Dragons to end up in the top 20. Fricke had rounds of 74 and 73.

   Yoseph Dance, a senior from Richmond, Va., had a strong finish with a 2-under 70 in the second round to finish tied for 11^th at 149. Freshman Connor Schmidt, a member of Peters Township’s 2015 PIAA Class AAA runnerup team, also got it going in the second round with a 1-under 71 to finish tied for 16^th at 150.

   Sophomore Mike Cook, a former Conestoga standout, finished tied for 20^th at 151. Adam Mistretta, a junior from Livermore, Calif., bounced back from an opening-round 80 with a 75 in the final round to finish tied for 42^nd at 155.