Smith's 77 and Reid's 78 pace Ravens on day one of Conference Championship

MARCELLUS, N.Y.  (September 25, 2004) - The Franklin Pierce men's golf team posted a 317 team score and is in sixth place after day one of the 2004 Northeast-10 Conference Championships at the Links at Sunset Ridge today.

Franklin Pierce finished the day with its highest ever placement following the first day of the Conference Championship. Bryant University leads the team event as it posted a 295 team score, ten strokes better than second-place Assumption College which posted a 305.

The Ravens are just 12 strokes behind Assumption in a tightly packed Championship in which the numbers two through ten placed teams are separated by just 21 strokes entering tomorrow's final round.            

Senior Mike Smith (Hanover, Mass./Hanover) paced Franklin Pierce with a five-over-par round of 77 today, just two strokes out of the top ten of the individual race. Junior Dave Reid (Cape Elizabeth, Maine/Cape Elizabeth) is just one stroke behind Smith after carding a career-low round of 78.

The Ravens also got solid rounds from freshman Craig Jasinski (Chelmsford, Mass./Chelmsford), with an 80, and senior Nick Matulonis (Springfield, Vt./Springfield) who posted an 82.

Bryant's Dave Falcucci fired the lone round under par of the day as he carded a 71 to lead the individual standings by one stroke.

The 2004 Northeast-10 Conference Championship concludes tomorrow morning with tee times beginning at 7:34 a.m.