SUTTON, Mass. -- Junior Nick Clarke (Plymouth/Cape Cod Academy), in his debut as a collegian, fired a one-under-par 71 to power the Bentley University golf team to a second-place finish in the season-opening Assumption College Golf Invitational Tuesday at the Blackstone National Golf Club.

Bentley, with a team score of 302 (the program's best since October 2008), finished eight strokes back of the Holy Cross white team. The HC purple team and preseason Northeast-10 Conference favorite American International tied for third at 304, and Le Moyne College was fifth with a 305.              

Clarke was one of four Falcon golfers to break 80 on the day. Senior Alex Macielak (Saratoga Springs, N.Y./Saratoga Springs HS) and sophomore Matt Michel (Danvers/Danvers HS) tied for 12th at 76, and senior Terrence Tedeschi (Duxbury/Duxbury HS) closed with a 79.              

Medalist honors were shared by a pair of Holy Cross players. Roberto Macado and Tim DiStefano each shot a two-under 70 to best Clarke and Steve Zychowski (Holy Cross) by one stroke. 

Bentley's next tournament is the Saint Rose Fall Shootout on Sept. 16 in Altamont, N.Y.

ASSUMPTION COLLEGE GOLF INVITATIONAL

At Blackstone National Golf Club (6,909 yards, par 70)

Team Scores: 1. Holy Cross white 294, 2. Bentley 302, 3. Holy Cross purple 304, 3. American International 304, 5. Le Moyne 305, 6. Assumption 310, 6. Manhattan 310, 7. Saint Rose 310, 9. Franklin Pierce 319, 10. Anna Maria 347.

Top Individuals: 1. Roberto Macado, Holy Cross white, 70; 1. Tim DiStefano, Holy Cross purple, 70; 3. Nick Clarke, Bentley, 71; 3. Steve Zychowski, Holy Cross white, 71; 5. Matt Horton, Saint Rose 72.

Other Bentley Scores: t-12. Alex Macielak 76; t-12. Matt Michel 76; t-27. Terrence Tedeschi 79; t-31. Richie Powers 80.