TURLOCK—The finish the Chico State men's golf team wanted Tuesday appeared derailed from the start. The Wildcats eventually got back on track but had dug too deep a hole to climb back into contention, finishing 8-over for the day and 11-over for the tournament, alone in sixth place. 
 
The defending Hanny Stanislaus Champions were +7 seven holes into Tuesday's final round. Dakota Ochoa bogeyed three of his first four holes. Chris Colla carded an opening-hole double bogey. Tyler Ashman bogeyed three of the day's first eight holes. Travis Miller started bogey, par, double bogey. And Brayden Russo bogeyed three of his first six holes.
 
But the Wildcats showed the kind of resolve they'll need in the postseason, which follows next week's RJGA Palm Valley Classic. Miller was 4-under par over his final 15 holes. Ochoa rebounded with birdies at the fifth, sixth and ninth (despite a triple on seven). Colla followed his double with a birdie. Ashman birdied three of his last seven holes. And Russo registered pars on 11 of his final 12 holes. 
 
Chico State—ranked No. 7 in the West Region—finished nine shots behind champion Western Washington, which finished 2-over par. Simon Fraser finished second at +3, followed by Stanislaus State (+4) and Sonoma State (+4), Holy Names (+6), and Chico State. Cal State Monterey Bay (+17), Cal State Dominguez Hills (+21), Cal State San Bernardino (+29), and Saint Martin's (+31) rounded out the top 10. 
 
Colla finished tied for 13^th at 1-over par to lead Chico State's individuals. Ochoa (+4) tied for 21st, Ashman (+5) tied for 26^th, Russo (+7) tied for 29^th, Miller (+8) finished 34^th, and Grant Leppek finished 35^th at 9-over par competing as an individual in the 83-player field.