WALTHAM, Mass. – When the Bentley University field hockey team opened practice for the 2015 campaign, head coach Jessica Spencer saw many familiar faces. Nineteen of last year's 20 players were back on the field and the only loss to graduation, All-America Gina Lirange, had returned as a member of the coaching staff.

With that kind of experience, the Falcons are looking to improve on last year's 10-9 mark. They'll have two games under their belts by the end of this weekend as Bentley hosts Assumption in Friday night's season-opener (7 pm) and visits Franklin Pierce University Sunday (11 am). Although against Northeast-10 opponents, both will be considered non-conference.

Of the 19 returnees, nine are seniors, including eight who started at least 14 games last fall, and another is second-team All-Northeast-10 midfielder Tori Ellis (Madison, N.J./Madison HS).

Katie Kelley (Walpole/Walpole HS), one of the seniors, has seen most of the action in goal the last two years. Injuries kept her out of all or most of six games last fall and she'll be looking to return to the form she displayed in 2013 when she had 11 wins, seven shutouts and a .780 save percentage.

Junior Evelyn Schaedel (Burlington, Vt./Burlington HS) filled in during Kelley's absence, posting a 4-1 record and a 2.02 GAA, and has played well during the preseason.

The back line, charged with keeping the opposition away from the goalies, includes seniors Molly Rowe (Newburyport/Newburyport HS) and Hanna Lucas (Wayne, N.J./Wayne HS), along with junior Tori Castro (Winchester/Winchester HS).

Ellis, the 2013 NE-10 Rookie of the Year, was a factor at both ends of the field last year and Spencer is looking for another strong season from her. She was second in the nation in defensive saves (14) and provided two goals and six assists to the scoring attack.

The contingent in the midfield also includes seniors Kelsey Howard (Scarborough, Maine/ Scarborough HS), Sally James (Mequon, Wisc./Univ. School of Milwaukee) and Becca Moore (Belmont/Belmont HS), an experienced group who have missed a total of zero games since their arrival on campus.

While the much-honored Lirange, the team's leading scorer the last two years, is no longer on the field, Spencer has six players back who had at least four goals or six assists (or both). Senior Meg Talerman (Centerville/Barnstable HS), a two-time All-Conference pick earlier in her career, put the ball in the net seven times while both Moore and senior Leah Winer (Longmeadow/Longmeadow HS) had five. Moore was second overall in scoring, complementing her goal total with six assists.

Bentley also received four goals from James and sophomore Eva Michaliszyn (Media, Pa./ Penncrest HS).

To improve on last year's record, the Falcons will need to improve their performance on the road and against the teams ranked in the NFHCA top ten. While Bentley was 8-2 on its home turf, it was only 2-7 on the road, getting outscored 24-11, and 1-7 against teams owning a national ranking at the time.

Free live video of Friday night's game with Assumption is expected to be available on www.bentleyfalcons.tv.