NORTH SUTTON, N.H. -- With junior and Northeast-10 Conference Rookie of the Year Nick Clarke (Plymouth/Cape Cod Academy) leading the way, the Bentley University golf team finished the first day of the Southern New Hampshire University Penmen Invitational tied with Assumption College for first place. A total of eight teams are participating in the tournament, which will conclude Monday at the Country Club of New Hampshire.

Bentley and Assumption both completed the opening round with a 316 total. Manhattan College is in third, three strokes back, and UMass-Lowell's 323 put the River Hawks in fourth.

Clarke, with a three-over 75, is two strokes back of the leader, Franklin Pierce's B.J. Powers. He will start the final round tied with Assumption's Rick Bylund for second place.

Bentley's other golfer in the top ten at the midpoint is sophomore Francesco Possio (Torino, Italy). He turned in a 78 and is tied for seventh.

SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE PENMEN INVITATIONAL

At CC of New Hampshire, North Sutton, N.H.

Day 1 of 2

Team Scoring: 1. Bentley 316, 1. Assumption 316, 3. Manhattan 319, 4. UMass-Lowell 323, 5. Franklin Pierce 324, 6. Saint Anselm 327, 7. Southern New Hampshire 319, 8. St. Michael's 340.

Top Individuals: 1. B.J. Powers, Franklin Pierce, 73; 2. Rick Byland, Assumption, 75; 2. Nick Clarke, Bentley, 75; 4. Ryan Myers, Assumption, 76; 5. Travis Kellegrew, UMass-Lowell 77; 5. Vince Kimball, SNHU, 77.

Other Bentley Scores: t-7. Francesco Possio 78; t-14. Terrence Tedeschi 81; t-18. Alex Macielak 82; t-22. Daniel Uribe 83.