NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.- University of Portland sophomore Kevin Beavers shot a final round even-par 72 and tied for 18th place overall with a 9-over par 225 at the Anteater Invitational hosted by UC Irvine. Portland took ninth place in the 10-team field after shooting a 302 on the final day, their best team score of the three round tournament. Redshirt freshman Jake Easterly tied for 20th place overall with a 10-over par 226.

For the tournament, the Pilots shot a 915 (306-307-302) combined team score and dropped from eight place after the second round to their ninth place finish. UCLA took the team title with an 872 (290-289-293). Two other West Coast Conference schools were among the field as Santa Clara placed fifth (294-296-302-892) and San Diego finished in 10th place (309-310-297-916).

Santa Clara’s Justin Ahasic held his second round lead to claim the individual title by one stroke over Charlotte’s Matt Mincer and Cal Poly’s Travis Bertoni. Ahasic finished at 3-under par (70-68-75-213), while Mincer and Bertoni carded 214’s.

It was the first tournament competition of the spring season for the Pilots as they shook off some rust. Beavers scored an opening round 75 and followed it up with a 78 on the first day before shooting a team low round of 72 to close out the tournament. It was Beavers’ third top 20 finish of the year. Easterly opened with a 78 then shot consecutive 74’s in earning his second career top 20 finish.

Among the other Pilots, Mike McCabe (77-75-79-231) finished tied for 38th, Tony Peressini (76-80-77-233) tied for 44th and Justin Burwell finished 56th (82-82-81-245).

The Pilot golf team is back in action at the Rainmaker Cup, held at Columbia Edgewater Country Club this Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 28-29.