SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Powered by top-ten finishes from junior Dan McQueen (Topsfield, Mass./Masconomet Reg. HS) and senior Nick Clarke (Plymouth, Mass./Cape Cod Academy), the Bentley University golf team closed out its regular season by finishing third in the 26th annual Joseph Palamountain Invitational at the rain-soaked Saratoga Spa State Park Sunday afternoon.

Bentley turned in a 297 second-round score and finished the tournament with a 597. The Falcons trailed tournament champion and host Skidmore College by 13 strokes and runner-up Salem State College by a dozen.  A total of 11 teams participated.

McQueen led the Falcons, finishing seventh with a 36-hole score of 146 after posting back-to-back one-over-par 73's. Clarke followed in eighth with his second-round 72 giving him a two-day total of 148.

Bentley's number three man was senior Richie Powers (Leominster, Mass./Leominster HS). He tied for 18th with 75-78-153.  The Falcons also received a second-round 74 from junior Matt Michel (Danvers, Mass./Danvers HS), who finished in a tie for 24th at 156.

Skidmore's John McCarthy earned medalist honors by a stroke over St. Lawrence's Jack Whelan. Both shot a second-round 71, with McCarthy finishing with a four-under 140 and Lawrence a stroke back at 141.

Bentley's next tournament will be the NCAA Division II East/Atlantic Super Regional May 7-9 in Hershey, Pa. 

JOSEPH PALAMOUNTAIN INVITATIONAL

Saratoga Spa State Park, Saratoga, N.Y.

Final

Team Standings: 1. Skidmore 298-288-586, 2. Salem State 297-290-587, 3. Bentley 300-297-597, 4. St. Lawrence 302-299-601, 5. Manhattanville 300-306-606, 5. Rensselaer 307-299-606, 7. Farmingdale 316-309-625, 8. Hobart 316-314-630, 9. Clarkson 313-323-636, 10. Castleton State 337-320-657, 11. St. Joseph, Vt. 338-337-675. 

Top Individuals: 1. John McCarthy, Skidmore, 69-71-140; 2.  Jack Whelan, St. Lawrence, 70-71-141; 3. Chris Berry, Salem State, 70-73-143; 4. Garrett Colgan, Skidmore, 73-71-144; 5. Tom Grant, Salem State, 75-70-145; 5. Nick Zolotas, Salem State, 77-68-145.

Bentley Scores: 7. Dan McQueen, 73-73-146; 8. Nick Clarke, 76-72-148; t-18. Richie Powers, 75-78-153; t-24, Matt Michel, 82-74-156; t-32, Quincy Coulter, 76-81-157.