BELLE VERNON, Pa. --- The Golden Eagles men's golf team improved by 19 strokes from their second to third rounds at the Vulcan Invitational on Tuesday, finishing the event in seventh place. Clarion posted a team score of 304 in the final round, representing the second-biggest improvement from one round to the next of any team at the tournament.
 
In both rounds played on Monday, the Golden Eagles posted scores of 323. The 19-stroke cut was topped only by PGM Club, who improved by 22 strokes from their first to second round yesterday.
 
Chase Smith carded the best single round of the day for the Golden Eagles, shooting a 73 that was just one above par. He recorded three birdies – two on par-fives and one on the par-four 15^th hole – while posting just two bogeys and one double-bogey. Freshman Devon Lauer followed shortly thereafter, posting a 76. Lauer did his best work on the front nine, making three birdies and finishing dead even at 36. Lauer finished the highest atop the leaderboard for Clarion, tying for 26^th with a three-round score of 233 (77-80-86), while Smith was one place behind him at 234 (77-84-73).
 
Brady Houser was third on the team on Tuesday, shooting a 77 that included birdies on two par-fours and one par-five. He wrapped his round with a birdie on the par-four 18^th hole. Hayden Siegel wrapped up Tuesday's scoring for the Golden Eagles, shooting back-to-back birdies on the fifth and sixth holes en route to a 78. Teagan Gray rounded out the Clarion lineup with an 82.
 
Bradley Kugler competed individually for the Golden Eagles, tying for 31^st with a score of 237 (80-78-79).