ERIE, Pa. - Penn State Altoona men's golf secured its best finish of the season on Monday afternoon, when it placed second in Penn State Behrend's James Bowen Invitational at Lawrence Park Golf Club.

Penn State Altoona shot 314, its third-lowest score of the fall, to finish seven strokes out of first place. Penn State Behrend's 'A' team won the event with a 307, and Behrend's 'B' squad came in third with 316.

The Lions finished ahead of fellow Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference teams La Roche College (4th Place - 326), Pitt-Bradford (T-5th Place - 335), Hilbert College (T-5th Place - 335), Medaille College 'A' (7th Place - 338), Pitt-Greensburg (8th Place - 341), Medaille 'B' (9th Place - 357), Mount Aloysius College (10th Place - 418), and D'Youville College (11th Place - 435).

"A second place finish gives us a shot of confidence heading into the AMCC Championships," said Penn State Altoona head golf coach Tom Koehle. "Payton Guelich's eagle on the 16th hole really turned his round around and proves that, if we just stay positive, good things can happen. That could be a moment that turns this team into a serious contender."

Payton Guelich (Sandy Ridge, PA/Philipsburg-Osceola) led the Lions with his second-lowest score of the season, shooting a 76 to place fourth out of 58 individual men's golfers.

Jimmy Gillespie (Glen Mills, PA/Garnet Valley) and Luke Hoffnagle (Spring Grove, PA/Spring Grove) both shot 77, tying for fifth place individually. Gillespie's score represented his second-lowest of the season.

Penn State Altoona's five was rounded out by Pongthong Thongyai (Patum Thani, Thailand/New Mexico Military Institute), who shot 84 to tie for 25th place, and Hunter Duriez (Northern Cambria, PA/Northern Cambria), who tied for 36th place with an 89.

Lions golf returns to action this Wednesday, October 4, when the team hits the road to compete in the Gettysburg College Invitational at Hanover Country Club. That event is slated to get underway at 12:30 p.m.