ATLANTA, Georgia – The Pepperdine men's golf team ended the fall season on a high note, beating Arizona State 3-2 in the third-place match of the East Lake Cup on Wednesday.
 
The Sun Devils scored the first two points, but Joey Vrzich, Derek Hitchner and Joe Highsmith got the job done in must-win situations at the East Lake Golf Club.
 
The Waves are now 6-1 in match play over the past two seasons, having won the 2020 East Lake Cup and the 2021 NCAA Championships before falling to Oklahoma in Tuesday's semifinals. The Waves won Monday's single round of stroke play.
 
The East Lake Cup, one of the most prestigious events in college golf, brings together the top four teams from the previous season's NCAA Championships.
 
This was Pepperdine's sixth consecutive day of competitive golf after winning the Golf Club of Georgia Collegiate over the weekend.
 
SCORES

• Mason Andersen (ASU) def. junior Dylan Menante (Carlsbad, Calif./Sage Creek HS), 2&1 – Menante won the first hole, and went up by again by one after the fourth hole. But Andersen tied it at nine and won on holes 12 and 16 to claim the first point of the day.
• Ryggs Johnston (ASU) def. junior William Mouw (Chino, Calif./Ontario Christian HS), 4&3 – Johnston went up after the first hole and never trailed.
• Senior Joey Vrzich (El Cajon, Calif./Christian HS/Nevada) def. Cameron Sisk (ASU), 5&4 – Vrzich posted the biggest win of the day. He went up by one after the second hole and led the rest of the way. He won the sixth hole to go up by two, the 10th hole to go up by three and clinched it on holes 13 and 14.
• Senior Derek Hitchner (Minneapolis, Minn./The Blake School) def. David Puig (ASU), 1 up – Hitchner went down by a hole after three, but tied it up at five. He went up a hole on seven, but Puig tied it again at nine. It stayed tied until 13, when Hitchner took the lead for good. Hitchner went up by two after 15, and through Puig got one back on 16, the two players halved 17 and 18, giving the Waves their second point.
• Senior Joe Highsmith (Lakewood, Wash./Bellarmine Prep) def. Preston Summerhays (ASU), 3&2 – Highsmith improved to 6-0-1 in college match play events over the last two seasons. He won the first hole of the day and never trailed. He went up by two holes on a few occasions, but Summerhays got it back to one after 12. The two halved 13, and then Highsmith won 14 and 15 to go up three with three to play. They halved 16, ending the match and giving the Waves the overall victory. Highsmith also had the clinching point in the quarterfinals and semifinals at the 2021 NCAA Championships.

UP NEXT
 
The Waves are off until the new year when they host the Southwestern Invitational at North Ranch Country Club in Westlake Village from January 24-26.
 
QUOTABLE
 
Pepperdine Coach Michael Beard said: "Last night we were pretty tired and I think they were pretty frustrated losing yesterday. It didn't really matter who we were going to play, they were ready to go today. I think they were kind of determined to leave here with at least a win ... This is a goal that we'll have every year to try to go to the East Lake Cup. It's just special. It feels important, it feels elite, it feels very much like what college golf is about. I know every one of our guys, this is their favorite event, and to be able to come here twice, last year and this year, we feel very fortunate."