INDIAN WELLS, Calif. - The UC Irvine men's golf team split its two matches on the first day of the Wyoming World Match Play tournament Monday at Indian Wells Golf Resort.
 
The fifth-seeded Anteaters defeated fourth-seeded and host Wyoming, 3-2-1, before falling to No. 1 Cal State Fullerton, 3-2-1, in the semifinals.
 
Against the Cowboys, freshman Jason Tang posted a 4&3 victory over Jimmy Dales at No. 2. Tang won the first two holes and stayed out front the rest of the way. It went back-and-forth through the remainder of the front nine before Tang built a 3-up lead with a win on the 10th hole. He eventually closed out the match by winning the 15th to go 4-up.
 
Sophomore Jin Nakao had a 2&1 triumph over Patrick Azevedo at the No. 4 position. Nakao faced a 1-down deficit at the turn before three-straight victories on the 10th, 11th and 12th. Azevedo closed the gap to 1-up before Nakao won the 16th and tied the 17th to clinch the match.
 
At the top of the lineup, Darien Zhao earned a 1-up victory over Kristof Panke. Zhao was 1-down through 12 holes but won the 13th and 14th to take the lead. The two players then tied the remaining four holes.  
 
Sophomore Yaoting Zou tied Jaren Calkins at the third spot in the lineup. Zou was 3-down with five holes to go but rallied to win the 14th, 15th and 16th to pull even. Zou and Calkins then halved the last two holes.
 
Sophomore Rei Harashima fell to Davis Seybert by a score of 2-up, while junior Kevin McGough dropped a 3&2 decision to Evan Johnson.
 
In the semifinals, Tang tallied a 1-up victory over the Titans' Garrett Boe. It was a tightly-contested match that was tied through 17 holes. Tang then won the decisive 18th for his second triumph of the day.
 
Harashima also registered a 1-up victory over Trevor McNary. Harashima was 1-down through the 13th, but won holes 14 and 16 to pull ahead. He then tied the final two holes for the win.
 
Zhao and Tegan Andrews finished in a tie, while Nakao fell to Howard Yoon by a 2&1 score. Cal State Fullerton's Russell Howlett defeated Zou (4&3) and Matthew Schafer beat McGough (7&6) to put the Titans in tomorrow's championship match.
 
The 'Eaters return to Indian Wells Golf Resort on Tuesday to face Sacramento State in the third-place match with tee times starting at 7:40 a.m.