NEW LONDON, N.H. – With sophomores Zach Pollard (Lebanon, N.H./Lebanon HS) and Sal Visali (West Barnstable, Mass./West Barnstable HS) leading the way, Bentley University captured the Northeast Challenge golf tournament championship, edging Southern New Hampshire by two strokes at the Lake Sunapee Country Club.

Bentley entered Sunday's second round with a two-stroke lead over SNHU and finished the same way after both squads turned in a 300. Franklin Pierce University had the best second-day score, 297, but finished 13 strokes back in third place.  A total of eight teams participated in the tournament.

Pollard had the second round's best score, a one-over-par 71 to establish a new personal collegiate best, and finished third overall with a 147 total. He was four strokes back of medalist Austin Ball of American International College and one behind runner-up Austin Fox of SNHU.

Visali tied for fourth, finishing with a 148 after a second-round 75.

All six Bentley players carded 78 or better on Sunday, with the top 20 also including senior Ryan Hudson (Purchase, N.Y./Iona Prep) and junior Tom Freeman (Maywood, N.J./Bergen County Academies). Hudson tied for 11th with 72-78-150 and Freeman tied for 16th with back-to-back 76's.

The tournament victory was the sixth for the Falcons since the start of the 2011-12 academic year. Last April, coach Mickey Herron's club earned championship honors twice.

The next action for the Falcons will be the Northeast-10 Conference Championships Sept. 29-30 in Keene, N.H.

NORTHEAST CHALLENGE
At Lake Sunapee GC, New London, N.H.
Final

Team Scores: 1. Bentley 297-300-597, 2. Southern New Hampshire 299-300-599, 3. Franklin Pierce 313-297-610, 4. Dowling 313-300-613, 5. American International 303-311-614, 6. Saint Anselm 308-308-616, 7. Assumption 307-311-618, 8. Dominican 318-310-628.

Top Individuals: 1. Austin Ball, AIC, 68-75-143; 2. Austin Fox, Southern N.H., 72-74-146; 3, Zach Pollard, 76-71-147; 4. Sal Visali, Bentley, 73-75-148; 5. Keith Prokop, Dominican, 74-74-148; 4. Scott Underhill, Southern N.H., 74-74-148.

Other Bentley Scores: t-11. Ryan Hudson, 72-78-150; t-16. Tom Freeman 76-76-152; t-20. Harry Kirkpatrick 80-75-155; t-24. John Perkins 79-78-157.  (Kirkpatrick competed as an individual).