SEASIDE --- Erick Justesen finished the Cal State Monterey Bay Otter Invitational with a 74 on Tuesday to defend his title at the tournament and lead No. 8 Cal State Stanislaus to victory at Bayonet Golf Course, nine strokes ahead of Washburn University's score of 906.

Cal State Monterey Bay, which entered the day in fifth, shot a 301 in the final round, finishing with a 918, in fourth place and 10 strokes ahead of CSU San Bernardino, which shot 313 on Tuesday and placed fifth. The University of Victoria finished third with a 914, while Chico finished eighth with a total of 940.

CSU Stanislaus, ranked No. 3 in the West, and CSUMB, ranked No. 7 in the West, will be certain to strengthen their position in the regional poll. Chico State has been slipping and is currently ranked No. 4 in the West.

CSUMB started Monday with a 305, but shot 312 in the second round during a windy late afternoon. Gusts were reported to have reached nearly 30 mph.

“The second round, that's the one that got us,” said Paulson. “But overall, as long as we beat Chico State and San Bernardino --- that's the big thing for us, maintaining our regional position at No. 7.”

It was Justesen's second tournament win this season, his ninth consecutive top-10 finish and sixth top-four finish. It was also the CSU Stanislaus team's second victory and seventh straight top-four finish.

#Oskar Nystrom# finished with a 228, in a tie for ninth, to lead CSUMB. #Scott Yeakel# hit 229, #John Jackson# a 231 and #Martin Hardenberger# a 233. Yeakel hit a 71 on the final round, one of just three competitors to break par during the tourney.

"That was an impressive round for Yeakel," said Paulson. "It represents a real turnaround for a young freshman golfer."

The Otters next play at the CSU Stanislaus Invitational in Turlock on April 14 and 15.