Brighton, Mich. — If spring championship golf is about learning how to win the long game, then Monday at Oak Pointe Country Club felt like another important chapter in that story for Aquinas.

The Saints made the trip to the Cleary University Spring Invitational and left Brighton with exactly the kind of momentum Head Coach Matt Denhartigh wants this time of year. The women delivered the best team score in the field and claimed the tournament title, while the men battled one of the stronger spring fields they have seen this season and stayed firmly in the chase with a fourth-place finish. More importantly, both AQ lineups showed the kind of balance, poise, and belief that can turn a solid spring into a memorable postseason run.

Aquinas Women Claim the Team Title
The Aquinas women were the standard on Monday, winning the Cleary Spring Invite with a team score of 359 and proving once again that this lineup is built on consistency from top to bottom.

Jayda Kerns led the Saints with a tremendous round of 83, good for third place overall, giving AQ the type of front-line score every championship-caliber team needs. Ellie Christian followed with a 90, while Ava Clark and Quinn Clement matched one another with 93s in a perfect example of lineup balance. Zoey Quinn's 96 completed the scorecard, and by the end of the day it was clear the Saints had simply worn the field down with steady golf and smart course management.

That may be the most encouraging sign of all for this group. There was no stretch where the Saints unraveled, no panic when the course demanded patience, and no wasted opportunities. Just five golfers playing connected, disciplined golf and turning that consistency into a championship trophy.

Aquinas Men Stay in the Hunt
The men's side continued to show the depth that makes this group dangerous heading into the final stretch of the spring.

Aquinas finished fourth in the seven-team field with a 319, just a handful of strokes away from climbing another spot. Anthony Lalomia once again paced the Saints, firing a 75 to tie for fourth overall and giving AQ one of the premier rounds of the day on a difficult championship layout.

McCoy Denhartigh followed with an 80, while Andrew Kurowski and Austin Pitsch both carded 82s to keep the Saints squarely in the hunt throughout the afternoon. Ben Holloway rounded out the team total with an 88.

What makes this result feel even stronger than the placement suggests is the setting. Oak Pointe's championship track asked every player to stay mentally sharp, and the Saints did exactly that against quality competition. The margin between AQ and the podium was small, and the kind of collective steadiness shown Monday is the exact formula that can translate into a big weekend at the LTU Spring Shootout.

Saints Snapshots
     • Championship mindset: The AQ women captured the team title with the best score of the day at 359.
     • Podium power: Jayda Kerns' 83 placed her third overall in the women's field.
     • Setting the pace: Anthony Lalomia's 75 tied for fourth in the men's competition.
     • Built on balance: Four AQ women finished inside the top 14.
     • Right in range: The men finished just a few swings away from the podium.

Coach's Comments
"This is the kind of spring golf we want to be playing right now," said Head Coach Matt Denhartigh. "The women were composed from start to finish and earned that win by trusting the process and staying disciplined all day. On the men's side, I really liked our poise on a demanding course. We are seeing both groups grow in confidence, and more importantly, we are starting to see them understand what it takes to compete for championships in April."

Up Next
The Saints are right back on the course this weekend as both squads travel to Yorktown, Indiana, for the LTU Spring Shootout, scheduled for Apr. 12-14 at The Players Club on Woodland Trails. With postseason positioning beginning to sharpen, Aquinas will look to carry the confidence built in Brighton into another critical multi-day test.

Be sure to visit AQSaints.com for live stats, streaming links, and full postgame coverage of AQ Men's Lacrosse and all Saints sports.

It's a great day to be a Saint.