WALTHAM, Mass. – Alone in third place in the Northeast-10 Conference, the Bentley University Falcons will look to make it a 4-1 month of October when they travel to New Haven, Conn. to take on Southern Connecticut State University Saturday afternoon. Kickoff is slated for 3 pm with a link to the live webcast available at www.bentleyfalcons.com.

A victory on the road would extend the Falcons' winning streak to three and produce the program's best October since the 2004 team was a perfect 5-0. Coach Bill Kavanaugh will also be looking to spoil a Homecoming Game for the second time this season.

Meanwhile, Southern Connecticut (4-4, 4-3 NE-10) will be attempting to string together consecutive wins for the first time since Oct. 3 and 10 of last season. The Owls will be back at home following a 35-15 victory at Merrimack this past Saturday.

Defense has gotten it done for Bentley this month with the Falcons having held three of four teams to seven points or less. The lone exception was the Assumption game and that one got out of hand early as the result of uncharacteristic mistakes.

Take away the first half against the Hounds and Bentley has allowed only 871 yards and 17 points in its last 14 quarters of action. Breaking it down further, those are averages of 249 yards and 4.9 points per 60 minutes.

Bentley is coming off a 27-7 Senior Day win over Stonehill, a game in which the Falcons scored on three straight possessions in what's been the team's most productive quarter this season, the second. After scoring 20 in that stanza against the Skyhawks, 107 of the 191 points that Kavanaugh's team has this season have come in the second.

The Falcons had three interceptions against Stonehill, including the 17th career pick by senior safety Sam McDonald (Norfolk/King Philip Reg. HS) as he moved to within one of Gregg Albano's school record total. Seventeen is also the number of interceptions Bentley has this season, a total that ranks third nationally in Division II.

Bentley capitalized on short fields for all three of its second-quarter scores with the Falcons taking possession on the Skyhawk 33 following a short punt, the five after a 47-yard interception return from senior corner Lamar Hardy (Centreville,  Va./Westfield HS) and the eight after the second punt block of 2016 for junior Michael Fawehinmi (Lynn/St. John's Prep).

Three of Bentley's four touchdowns against Stonehill came via the air as junior QB Mack Lowrie (Foxborough/ Roxbury Latin HS) connected twice with senior Sean Myers (Foxborough/ Roxbury Latin HS) and once with sophomore Michael Correia (Fall River/Durfee HS). He finished his second Bentley start nine of 15 for 125 yards.

For the season, the former URI starter has completed 35 of 65 passes for 381 yards, four TDs and two interceptions.

Senior running back Matt Montalto (West Yarmouth/Dennis-Yarmouth HS), who scored his fourth TD on Saturday (tying Myers for the team lead), leads the Falcons in rushing (243 yards) and sophomore Drew Mahoney (West Suffield, Conn./Suffield Academy) remains the leading rusher with 38 catches for 406 yards.

  Bentley's defense includes the conference's leading tackler, senior linebacker Bryan Hardy (Barnstable/Barnstable HS), and six players with multiple interceptions, including Bryan Hardy and freshman corner Peter Thorbahn (Norwell/Xaverian Bros. HS). Bryan Hardy averages 10.5 tackles and will begin Saturday five shy of 300 for his impressive career. Thorbahn was named both the Defensive Player and Rookie of the Week in the NE-10 Monday and is fifth in  Division II in passes defended (2.1), two places in front of Lamar Hardy (1.8).

Southern Connecticut is coming off the road win at Merrimack, a game in which junior QB Ray Catapano threw for two TDs and rushed for two others.  The Owl defense excelled, limiting the Warriors to 169 yards, including only 2-of-16 for 13 yards through the air on a rainy afternoon.

Catapano has started the last four games for Southern and enters this week's game with 959 yards, eight TDs and three interceptions. His weapons include senior receiver Devante Jenkins (16.8 yards per catch, seven TDs) and two running backs who have combined for 767 yards, Eli Parks and Vochan Fowler.

 Two of the NE-10's top punters will be on display Saturday. Bentley senior Tyler Ford (Amherst, N.H./Souhegan HS) is fourth in Division II with a 44.2 average, and Southern's Mike McNally is third in the NE-10 at 40.8.

Bentley will be looking for its fifth straight win in the series, as well its fourth in a row at Jess Dow Field. In the fourth quarter last year in Waltham, the Falcons scored eight unanswered on a TD pass by Montalto and a safety, and didn't allow a first down on four Owl possessions, to secure a two-point victory.

Bentley will also be in Connecticut next Saturday when they play at New Haven in the final scheduled game of the season.

BENTLEY BRIEFS: All-time, Bentley leads the series with the Owls 12-6 … A win would give the Falcons their first six-win season since the 2013 team finished at 6-5 … The Falcons continue to lead all of college football in interception return yards. They've had three pick-sixes and three other interceptions that were returned within five yards of the goal line.