BREWSTER, Mass. – The Bentley University golf team had an outstanding day as the 80th annual New England Intercollegiate Golf Association Championships got underway Sunday at the Captains Golf Course, with coach Mickey Herron's team first amongst Division II institutions and tied for first overall.

The Falcons, who are the defending Division II New England champions, had three of the top four scores posted by Division II players with junior Malcolm Oliver (Damariscotta, Maine/Lincoln Academy) not only number one in the division but at the top of the leaderboard overall.

Oliver fired a two-under 70, tying his collegiate best, and will enter Monday's final round with a three-stroke lead over a quartet of players: John Abbot (Franklin Pierce), Peter Repetto (Fairfield), Harry Hulme (UMass-Lowell) and Billy Walthouse III (Rhode Island).

On the Division II scoreboard, Bentley senior Jon Stoddard (Duxbury/Duxbury HS) is third with a 75 and freshman teammate Brett Chatfield  (Attleboro/Bishop Feehan HS) is tied for fourth following  a 76.  The Falcons also received a 79 from freshman Cal Meyers (Richfield, Wisc./Slinger HS) and an 80 from junior Tommy Ayres (Bolton/Nashoba Reg. HS).

As a team, Bentley shot an even 300, good for a ten-stroke lead over Southern New Hampshire in the battle for Division II honors. Franklin Pierce followed at 311 and American International turned in an opening-day 318 for fourth among the eight Division II institutions.

                In the overall standings, Bentley's 300 was matched by Fairfield University with the two teams six strokes in front of third-place Rhode Island. UMass-Lowell (308) and Central Connecticut State (309) complete the top five. A total of 37 teams are competing in the annual event.