WALTHAM, Mass. – The Bentley University field hockey team, which returned 13 players from last year's 11-8 team, has been selected fifth in the Northeast-10 Conference preseason coaches' poll.

Coach Jessica Spencer's team, which received 83 points, finished behind LIU Post (117), Merrimack College (106), Stonehill College (104) and Adelphi University (87) in the voting. LIU Post received eight first-place votes, Merrimack collected three and the other one went to Stonehill.

Bentley was previously listed at number ten in the Penn Monto/National Field Hockey Coaches Association Division II preseason rankings, with LIU Post (third), Merrimack (fifth) and Stonehill (seventh) ahead of the Falcons.

Among the returnees are junior goalkeeper Katie Kelley (Walpole/Walpole HS), last year's top three scorers and 2013 NE-10 Rookie of the Year Tori Ellis (Madison, N.J./Madison HS). Kelley's seven shutouts led the conference and Ellis earned rookie honors after starting the final eight games and making contributions at both ends of the field.

Junior Gina Lirange (Auburn/Auburn HS), an All-NE-10 and Academic All-NE-10 honoree, led the 2013 team in scoring with 12 goals and seven assists for 31 points. Junior Meghan Talerman (Centerville/Barnstable HS) followed with nine goals and four assists, and classmate Sally James (Mequon, Wisc./Univ. School of Milwaukee) was third with five goals and the same number of helpers.

Bentley opens at fourth-ranked West Chester University Sept. 5 and plays its home-opener eight days later against American International.

NORTHEAST-10 PRESEASON COACHES' POLL

(First place votes in parentheses)