WALTHAM, Mass. - The Bentley women's soccer team kept its Northeast-10 playoff hopes alive with a 2-1 victory over Assumption on Tuesday afternoon. Junior Laura Muise (Newburyport, Mass./Newburyport) scored the winner in the 71^st minute and assisted on Bentley's first goal.

The Falcons improve to 4-7-1 in the Northeast-10 with the win, which keeps them within striking distance of the teams ahead of them in the playoff race. It's Bentley's first victory in seven matches and ups its overall mark to 5-9-1. The Greyhounds drop to 3-10-1 and 1-10-1 in the NE-10.

The winning goal was set up by a cross in from the left wing, which was headed on by sophomore Jenna Skagerlind (Holden, Mass./Wachusett Regional) to Muise, who then headed the ball inside the left post to give Bentley a 2-1 lead, which they would hold onto over the last 19 minutes of the match.

The goal was well deserved as the Falcons controlled possession and created more chances in the second half. Junior Deirdre Leary (Holden, Mass./St. Peter Marian) had two chances before Muise's goal, shooting high in the 54^th minute and having a shot denied by a diving save by goalkeeper Rachel Edgin in the 62^nd minute.

Freshman Emily Ellis (Goffstown, N.H./Goffstown) nearly added a third in the 80^th minute after a through ball from junior Amy Margolius (Acton, Mass./Acton-Boxborough) sprung her for a breakaway, but her shot trickled just past the left post with Edgin beaten.

The Falcons had a terrific start to the match, as junior Molly Alfieri (Southington, Conn./Southington) gave her side a 1-0 lead in just the second minute. A through ball in midfield from Muise gave her a clear run on goal, and a wide open shot on Edgin that she buried into the back of the net from six yards.

Assumption equalized in the 25^th minute through sophomore Andrea Bates. A shot off the post from junior Elizabeth Blasser fell right to Bates and gave her an easy goal with the net wide open.

Freshman keeper Nicole Derba (Franklin, Mass./Fontbonne Academy) came on for Bentley after halftime and earned her first career victory.

Next, the Falcons travel to Springfield to face AIC on Saturday for an 11:00 a.m. kickoff.