JACKSON SPRINGS, N.C. – The Bentley University spring golf season got underway Friday with the Falcons eighth of 14 teams during the opening day of the BrownGolf Invitational at the Foxfire Resort and Golf.

Bentley turned in a team score of 311 and will enter Saturday's final round eight strokes out of the top five. Wayne State (Mich.) and St. Thomas Aquinas share first place, each with a three-over 291.

Senior Chris Simione (Cheshire, Conn./Cheshire HS) was the Falcons' top day one performer with a two-over 74. A total of 69 players are competing in the tournament.

The only other Falcon to break 80 was senior Doug Kulikowski (Pittsford, N.Y./Pittsford Sutherland HS), good for a tie for 30th.

St. Thomas Aquinas' Shkelqim Kukaj is at the top of the leaderboard with a 70 and a one-stroke lead over Charleston's Robin Haesslich.