WALTHAM, Mass. – After graduating six seniors, five of whom were starters, the Bentley University field hockey team will have a significantly different look when coach Jessica Spencer's 11th season at the helm gets underway Saturday afternoon with a noon non-conference game at Adelphi University.

It'll be the first of two games in three days for the Falcons, who'll open their home schedule Labor Day against West University University, the fifth-ranked team in the preseason NFHCA Division II coaches poll. That will also be a noon start.

Six of the seven players who scored two or more goals last season are back this time around, and the Falcons also welcome senior forward Rachel Crowley (Leicester/Notre Dame Academy) back to action after she missed the 2017 season due to injury. She scored six times and set up another five goals during her first two seasons.

Other returning scoring threats are senior midfielder Niki Neidhart (San Diego, Calif./Scripps Ranch HS) and junior forward Sam Pavano (Madison, Conn./Daniel Hand HS). Neidhart had six goals and the same number of assists last year in her first Bentley season and Pavano will begin this season with 11 career goals, most of any Falcon.

Junior forward Christa Knell (Watertown/Watertown HS) showed the ability to put the ball in the net last season as she scored four times, tying for third on the team.

Spencer has two experienced goalies that she can call upon. Senior Jana Mones (Ramsey, N.J./ Ramsey HS) and sophomore Tatiana Naclerio (Easton, Conn./Joel Barlow HS). Mones had a 2.37 goals against average last fall before an injury ended her season prematurely and Naclerio registered a 1.93 GAA, with two shutouts, after taking over midseason.

Bentley (6-11) and Adelphi (7-11) had similar records last year, but the Panthers posted a pair of wins over the Falcons, 3-2 and 2-0. West Chester, coming off a 15-6 season, is the defending champion in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference.