NEW LONDON, N.H. – Led by sophomore Robert Falconer (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley HS) and senior Cal Meyers (Richfield, Wisc./Slinger HS), the Bentley University Falcons finished day one of the 2017 Northeast-10 Conference Men's Golf Championships with a three-stroke lead as they seek their first title since 2014.

Bentley, with a score of 290, leads Saint Anselm by three, with both Assumption and Franklin Pierce nine back in a tie for third. The tournament, being held at the par-70 Lake Sunapee Country Club, will conclude Tuesday.

Southern New Hampshire, the pretournament favorite according to a poll of conference coaches, is 16 strokes back in a tie for sixth, and defending champion Le Moyne is ten back in fifth place.

Falconer turned in a collegiate career-best 70 with his day including five birdies and the same number of bogeys. He owns a one-stroke lead on Meyer and a trio of Saint Anselm players – Stephen Hunt, Alec Brunello and Tad Link – heading into Tuesday's final round.

Bentley, which was projected for third in the coaches poll, also counted a pair of 74s, from senior Brett Chatfield (Attleboro/Bishop Feehan HS) and junior Chris Simione (Cheshire, Conn./ Cheshire HS). They are tied for 11th in the 44-player field. Rounding out the Falcon lineup was freshman Tommy Ethier (Nashua, N.H./Bishop Guertin HS), who posted a 76 despite a rough back nine.

Coach Mickey Herron's club combined for a conference-leading 15 birdies and was seven-under on the par-five holes.