CHARLTON, Mass. – Bentley University junior Malcolm Oliver (Damariscotta, Maine/ Lincoln Academy) edged out teammate Jon Stoddard (Duxbury/Duxbury HS) to capture medalist honors at the Joe Plante Collegiate Invitational, which concluded Monday at the Heritage Country Club.

Oliver, who began the day two strokes back in third place, turned in an even-par 71 for a 36-hole score of 145. The tournament victory was his first as a collegian and the first by a Bentley player in a two-day event since Matt Michel won the UMass-Lowell River Hawk Invitational in April 2012. His second-round 71 included 16 pars as he birdied the 11th and bogeyed the 9th.

The 71 and 145 both matched Oliver's career low scores.             

Stoddard had the tournament's best score, a second-round 70, and finished the opening competition of the fall season at 146. He was two-over after six, but used birdies on 8, 11 and 15 to climb into second place.

As a team, Bentley matched American International College's 600, but the Yellow Jackets claimed the championship by virtue of having a better second round from its number five man, 81 as compared to the Falcons' 84. The Falcons improved from an opening round 301 to shoot a 299 Monday, and AIC's scores were the exact opposite. Franklin Pierce University took third in the five-team, 30-player tournament, finishing ten strokes back.

Also cracking the top ten for Bentley was junior Matt Freitag (Cheshire/Hoosac Valley HS).  He finished ninth with a 75-80-155. Senior Andrew Johnston (Wilbraham/Wilbraham HS) was two shots and two places back following a 79-78-157.

Bentley is back in action next Monday with the Franklin Pierce Fall Invitational at the Bretwood Golf Club in Keene, N.H.

JOE PLANTE INVITATIONAL
at Heritage CC, Charlton
Final 

Team: 1. American International 299-301-600, 2. Bentley 301-299-600, 3. Franklin Pierce 306-304-610, 4. Assumption 316-309-625, 5. Dominican (N.Y.) 327-330-657.

Top Individuals: 1. Malcolm Oliver, Bentley, 74-71-145; 2. Jon Stoddard, Bentley, 76-70-146; 3. Nick Adjutant, FPU, 75-72-147; 4. Kyle Gilman, Assumption, 75-74-149; 4. Benn Mann, AIC, 76-73-149.

Other Bentley Scores: 9. Matt Frietag, 75-80-155; t-11. Andrew Johnston, 79-78-157; t-18. Quincy Coulter, 76-84-160.