WALTHAM, Mass. – Jessica Spencer's tenth season as head field hockey coach at her alma mater will get underway Thursday night at 6 pm when the Bentley University Falcons visit Southern New Hampshire University for a non-conference encounter. A free webcast will be available at www.snhupenmen.tv.

The Falcons will be looking to get back on the winning track this season after finishing at 7-11 in 2016. Scoring was a problem a year ago with Bentley scoring only 25 goals in total and just three in the final seven contests.

Three of the goals came Sept. 17 when the Falcons visited SNHU and returned home with a 3-0 victory, their fourth straight in the series.

Spencer returned 20 players this season, including seven who started at least 13 games and leading scorer Sam Pavano (Madison, Conn./Daniel Hand HS). Pavano, a starter in the final six contests, provided six goals and four assists during her rookie season.

Sophomore forward Keally Ingersoll (Ellicott City, Md./Marriotts Ridge HS) and senior defender Caitlin Derrickson (Wilmington/Central Catholic HS) both started every game last season, as did junior Rachel Crowley (Leicester/Notre Dame Acad.). Unfortunately, Crowley will be a medical red-shirt due to injury this fall.

Other than Pavano, the only returnees who scored more than twice last year are seniors Katie Quilty (Marstons Mills/Barnstable HS) and Rebecca Schroder (South Windsor, Conn./South Windsor HS), both of whom found the back of the net three times. The Falcons will also be looking for contributions from seniors Taylor Kane (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty HS), who has played in every game since her arrival on campus in 2014, and Eva Michaliszyn (Media, Pa./Penncrest HS), who scored four of her five career goals as a freshman.

The lone goalie on the roster with previous collegiate experience is junior Jana Mones (Ramsey, N.J./Ramsey HS). She saw action in eight games last year, achieving a 3-3 record and a 1.87 goals against average.

Among the newcomers Spencer will be counting on are freshman defender Sam Simione (Cheshire, Conn./Cheshire HS) and junior transfers Niki Neidhart (San Diego, Calif./Scripps Ranch HS) and Janelle Magoon (Londonderry, N.H./Londonderry HS), a pair of midfielders. Neidhart appeared in 20 games for Syracuse the last two years, including four as a starter in 2016. Magoon saw action in three contests for Rider in 2015.

After debuting on the road, Bentley will be off until Sept. 6 when they'll host Merrimack in the home opener.