WALTHAM, Mass. – Last Thursday evening, the Bentley University Falcons made their 2017 debut on the road against a nationally-ranked West Chester University team, one that had averaged 39 points while winning its last six games of 2016 and 41.5 points in its final four home games.

The Golden Rams, number 24 in this week's AFCA Division II coaches' poll, carried that momentum into the new season, scoring 51 unanswered points after an impressive opening drive by the visiting Falcons and prevailed 51-9 over Bentley.

The Falcons will look to bounce back this Friday when they square off against Saint Anselm College in their home and Northeast-10 Conference opener. Tip off for the team's only home night game of the fall is set for 7 pm with a free webcast available at www.bentleyfalcons.tv.

Saint Anselm will also be looking to rebound from an opening night road loss, 37-7 to FCS member Wagner College. The Hawks struggled offensively, managing just 139 net yards, and gave up 30 points in the middle two quarters after a scoreless first period.

Bentley took the opening kickoff and marched down the field to the West Chester eight before settling for a 25-yard field goal by sophomore Grant Buchanan (Holliston/Holliston HS). However, after amassing 80 yards of total offense on that drive, the Falcons totaled only 56 yards and five first downs on their next 12 possessions.  They finished with 213 yards and 12 first downs.

Meanwhile, long plays and mistakes were costly to the Falcons. West Chester gained at least 20 yards on eight different plays including a 57-yard run that countered Bentley's opening score, and the Falcons lost three fumbles, two of which resulted in touchdowns.

Bentley's offense included 47 rushing yards on 11 carries by senior Martin Bannerman (Pawtucket, R.I./La Salle Academy), three receptions for 54 yards by freshman Austin Ryan (Foxborough/Foxborough HS) and three for 52 from junior Mike Correia (Fall River/Durfee HS). Ryan totaled 152 all-purpose yards as he also had five kickoff returns for 98 yards.

Senior Mack Lowrie (Foxborough/Roxbury Latin School) handled the quarterbacking duties for Bentley during the first three quarters and finished the opener 13 of 25 for 120 yards, including a 47-yarder to Ryan to start the game.

Defensively, sophomore safety Quintin McDermott (Franklin/Milton Academy) forced a pair of fumbles, senior linebacker Rogers Boylan (Dover/Dover-Sherborn HS) was credited with 1.5 sacks, and classmate Bryan Brandon Brown (Oxon Hill, Md./Suitland HS) totaled four tackles for losses. As a team, the Falcons finished with 10 TFL.

After injuries limited him to only one game and four pass attempts last year, junior Eric Fairweather has regained the starting quarterback role for Saint Anselm. He ran for a team-best 69 yards against Wagner but completed only two of 14 passes for 10 yards against the Seahawks. Back in 2015, Fairweather completed 60 percent of his attempts for 1,058 yards and seven TDs, and also ran for 716 yards with eight TDs.

Senior Correy King was the team's most effective running back in the opener, gaining 40 yards on ten carries. Junior Kyle Hill, a second-team All-Northeast-10 honoree in 2016, didn't catch a pass in the Wagner game but is coming off a strong sophomore season, one in which he caught 81 passes for 1,091 yards and 11 TDs.

Defensively, a player to watch is senior linebacker Eric Mercer, who led the Hawks in tackles with 85, including 10.5 for losses.

Saint Anselm, coming off a 2-9 season, was projected for ninth in the preseason Northeast-10 Conference coaches poll.

In last year's meeting, Bentley traveled to Saint Anselm and returned with a 35-21 win in a game that saw five different Falcons reach the end zone.  Bannerman had his best game of an injury-abbreviated season, running for 71 yards and a TD in 16 carries. Senior defensive back Junior Chery (Waltham/Waltham HS) also impressed with eight tackles and an interception.

 Before hosting LIU Post in the Sept. 23 Homecoming Game, Bentley will face Merrimack College on the road next Saturday, Sept. 16.

BENTLEY BRIEFS: Bentley is 16-1 all-time against Saint Anselm with the only Hawk win in the series coming in 2014 (38-34) … Bannerman enters this week's game with 1,839 career all-purpose yards, needing 161 for 2,000 … Freshman Andrew Brazicki (Franklin Park, N.J./Bishop Ahr HS) scored Bentley's only TD in the opener, a one-yard run on the final play of the game.