WALTHAM, Mass. – With a squad of 15 returnees and nine newcomers, the Bentley women's soccer team is set to get its 2015 season underway on Friday when they take on hosts Molloy in the first game of the Molloy Kickoff Tournament at 7:00 pm in Rockville Centre, N.Y. The season-opening tournament concludes on Sunday when the Falcons take on Dowling at 11:00 am.

Head coach Lauren Lukis welcomes back eight players from last year's team that started at least 12 of the team's 17 matches; included in that group is senior midfielders Elena Ochsenreither (Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks West), who started all 17, and captain Sam Ford (Rockville Centre, N.Y./South Side). In addition to that pair is leading scorer and junior forward Ana Tantum (Trumbull, Conn./Trumbull), and last season's starting goalkeeper Deirdre Macrorie (Winchester, Mass./Winchester).

"We're a team with great depth and chemistry," Lukis said on the eve of her team's season-opener. "I believe in the abilities of both of our seniors, all of our juniors and sophomores and both keepers on the roster. I expect all of the newcomers to make an impact; that is the only way we can get better."

Tantum has led the team in both goals and points in each of her first two seasons, and enters her junior year with career totals of 10 goals and three assists for 23 points. She played a big role at last season's Molloy Tournament in which the Falcons won both games. She had an assist on Jamie Grinavic's (North Attleboro, Mass./North Attleboro) goal against Molloy in the 90^th minute to break a scoreless tie and give Bentley a 1-0 victory. She then scored in a 1-0 win over Dowling two days later.

Sophomore Peyton Kent (Amherst, N.H./Souhegan) is another returning player the team will look to offensively after she netted a goal and registered 14 shots on goal in her debut season.

Macrorie started 14 matches last season and her 88 total saves ended up ranking tied for third in the Northeast-10. She was named the conference's Goalie of the Week after helping the Falcons sweep the Molloy Tournament in her first two collegiate games, including a 10-save effort against Dowling. She'll compete with junior Paige Lalilberte (Gilford, N.H./Gilford) for the starting job.

Though the team's record wasn't what they were hoping for last season, Lukis is looking at her team's desire to compete every day to help them get to the next level. "Our team has a huge fighting spirit, we have a fight to win mentality," she said. "We want to build off of last season when were in a lot of games, and this season we're focused on turning those close games into wins."

After opening with the Molloy Tournament, the Falcons play their final non-conference match against Concordia (N.Y.) on Wednesday, Sept. 9 for the team's home-opener. That starts a stretch of five home matches out of six, and includes the Northeast-10 opener at home against Assumption on Sept. 16.

"In my opinion our conference is the strongest in Division II," Lukis said. "We have to be prepared for a challenge in every game, and every game is important, starting with the opener Friday at Molloy."

The home stand closes against Southern New Hampshire on Sept. 30, and the month of October opens with the Falcons hitting the road for three straight contests as they visit Adelphi, Stonehill and Franklin Pierce. Upon returning from the trip, they host two in a row when Merrimack on Oct. 14 and Saint Rose on Oct. 17 come to town. Their final home match is Oct. 24 against Saint Michael's, and the regular season concludes on the road against Southern Connecticut on Oct. 31.

The Northeast-10 Playoffs get underway November 3 with the top-eight teams from the regular season qualifying.