NASHPORT, Ohio – Bentley University junior Malcolm Oliver (Damariscotta, Maine/Lincoln Academy) turned in a quality performance Monday as the 2015 NCAA Division II East/Atlantic Regional got underway at the Longaberger Golf Club.

With his round including three birdies, Oliver turned in a two-over 74 to finish the day in a tie for fifth place, four strokes back of the leader, Indiana University of Pennsylvania's Kenneth Sames. Oliver, who had the best score among the 20 Northeast-10 Conference players, birdied the par 3 188-yard fifth, the par 5 537-yard 10th and the par 4 454-yard 18th while shooting a 37 on both the front and back nines.

Oliver was the only one of the five Bentley players to shoot better than their season norm and as a result, the Falcons finished the opening day in 14th place among 20 teams with a 328 tally. Senior Jon Stoddard (Duxbury, Mass./Duxbury HS) was the team's number two performer, but he struggled late (+5 over the final five holes) to finish with an 80.

Freshman Brett Chatfield (Attleboro, Mass./Bishop Feehan HS) had Bentley's third best score, but his 85 was about seven strokes higher than his season average.

IUP is atop the team leaderboard with its 306 three strokes better than h the University of Charleston, Wilmington University (Del.) and St. Thomas Aquinas College.  Sames' 70 gave him a two-stroke advantage over Wilmington's Andrees Lunding.

Bentley will play in the final groups on Tuesday with tee times between 12:50 and 1:30 pm. The regional runs through Wednesday with the top four advancing to the NCAA Championships.