NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – Freshman Sam Pavano (Madison, Conn./Daniel Hand HS) assisted on a pair of goals and the Falcon defense totaled 16 saves as Bentley University upended Merrimack College, 2-1, in non-conference college field hockey action Wednesday afternoon at Martone-Mejail Field.

The win was the first of the season for the Falcons following a pair of losses. Merrimack, ranked fourth in Division II preseason after reaching the 2015 NCAA Division II national championship game, dipped to 0-2 despite outshooting the visitors 27-6.

The Bentley goals were scored by a pair of junior forwards, Katie Quilty (Marston Mills/ Barnstable HS) and Sydney MacLeod (Hollis, N.H./Hollis-Brookline HS). In each case, it was their first as collegians.

Quilty staked the Falcons to a 1-0 lead when she redirected a pass from Pavano into the cage with 11:55 left in the first half.

It stayed that way for nearly 25 minutes, until Merrimack sophomore Mary McNeil (Canton) netted the equalizer.

Bentley answered back a little more than four minutes later, with 17:49 left in the second, on MacLeod's goal. Coming off a corner, she deflected Pavano's shot for what proved to be the game-winner.

As has been the pattern thus far this season, senior Evelyn Schaedel (Burlington, Vt./ Burlington HS) and sophomore Jana Mones (Ramsey, N.J./Ramsey HS) shared the goalie duties for the Falcons. Schaedel had eight first-half saves, Mones stopped seven in the second half and Bentley also received a defensive save from junior Caitlin Derrickson (Wilmington/Central Catholic HS).

In addition to dominating in terms of shots, Merrimack had a big edge in penalty corners with a 15-4 advantage.

Bentley will be in South Carolina this weekend for games at Newberry Saturday and Limestone Sunday.