SOUTHPORT, N.C. – After beginning the day in third place, the Bentley University golf team turned in a second-round 309 Saturday to capture the season-opening St. James Plantation Invitational at the Founders Course by one stroke over West Chester University. It was the Falcons' fourth tournament victory of the season, their eighth in the last two seasons and 13th over the last four years.

Bentley, with a 327-309-636, overtook West Chester, the leader after the opening round, West Chester, which finished with a 322-315-637.  Indiana University (Pa.), ranked 31st nationally in Division II, took third in the 13-team event with a 323-315-638.

The top finisher for the Falcons was senior co-captain Quincy Coulter (Lake Bluff, Ill./Lake Forest HS), who tied for third in a tied of 87 after a second-round even-par 72. Coulter, who rebounded from an opening day 82, climbed 17 places in the standings with his 154 putting him behind only Matt Garto of Gannon (78-71-149) and Ryan Fogel of West Chester (79-74-153).

Next on the list for the Falcons was freshman Jimmy Brunone (Plymouth, Mass./Tabor Academy), who was competing as an independent and thus didn't figure in Bentley's team score. He finished in a tie for eighth after holding a three-stroke advantage following Friday's action. His second-round 82 gave him a 36-hole score of 158.

They were followed by junior Malcolm Oliver (Damariscotta, Maine/Lincoln Academy) and senior co-captain Jon Stoddard (Duxbury, Mass./Duxbury HS). Stoddard tied for 11th with an 81-77-158 and Oliver tied for 15th at 78-82-160.

The next tournament for the Northeast-10 Conference champion Falcons is the California Vulcan Invitational in California, Pa. Apr. 5-6.