ACWORTH, Ga. -- Led by tournament low-medalist Samuel del Val, the Berry men's golf team won the Southern States Athletic Conference Tournament on Tuesday day Bentwater Country Club. Berry was the co-host of the 36-hole tournament that was played on the 6,869-yard, par-72 layout at Bentwater Country Club.

Berry shot and even-par team score of 288 on the second day to finish with a two-day total of 295-288=583. The Vikings were 15 strokes ahead of both Lee and Southern Wesleyan, which tied for second with matching scores of 598.

The Warriors from SWU shot 303-295=598, while the Flames from Lee totaled 299-299=598 to finish deadlocked. The Warriors took home the silverware for second place by virtue of a stronger second-round score, but both teams finish equal in the overall standings.

With back-to-back rounds of two under-par golf, del Val won the tournament with a four-under score of 70-70=140. That score was one stroke better than Chris Cartwright from Reinhardt who finished with a three-under score of 69-72=141.

Co-host Reinhardt was fourth with a score of 304-303=607. Shorter finished fifth with a score of 305-308=613 and Faulkner was sixth with a score of 346-355=701.

With the win Berry advances to the NAIA National Tournament from May 19-22 hosted at the TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Ill..

The win also clinched the Comissioner's Cup for the SSAC. The Comissioner's Cup is awarded to the SSAC team that has the best overall athletic program during the year as judged by regular season finish of each team during the year. More information on the Director's Cup Win will come in a later release.