Bentley Field Hockey Opens with Two Top 10 Opponents
WALTHAM, Mass. – In the National Field Hockey Coaches Association preseason coaches poll for Division II, the Bentley University Falcons were ranked eighth following a 2021 season in which they posted a 14-6 record and earned an NCAA playoff berth.
Of the seven teams listed above coach Jessica Spencer's team in the rankings are West Chester University, Millersville University and Assumption University. Bentley will see all three on the road during the season's first ten days.
The season gets underway Friday with a 5 pm game at number seven Millersville and the trip to Pennsylvania will conclude with a noon start Sunday at 2021 national runner-up West Chester, the number two team in the poll. Bentley will also play at number four Assumption on September 11 with a home game against American International September 8 in the mix.
Spencer, who will be coaching her 250th Bentley game in the opener, graduated six starters but returns a solid nucleus that includes three of the top five scorers from last fall. Senior Ava Bevilacqua (Dedham/Notre Dame Acad.) and junior Katie Thies (Liverpool, N.Y./Cicero North Syracuse HS) topped the scoring list last season with 10 and seven goals, respectively, and each is back this year. Also back is sophomore Lida Coco (Litchfield, Conn./Canterbury School), whose freshman year included five goals and two assists.
Returning starters for the Falcons include senior midfielders Madison Halas (Danbury, Conn./Immaculate HS) and Bridget Coughlin (Wolfeboro, N.H./Kingsboro Reg. HS), along with junior back Emily Crowell (Oakland, Maine/Messalonskee HS).
Sophomore forward Libby Harrison (North Andover/North Andover HS) is expected to see more time on the front line and freshman midfielder Gracie Moore (Pittsfield, Maine/Maine Central Institute) has impressed during the preseason as has her classmate Mackenize Carey (Boxford/Masconomet Reg. HS).
In the mix for playing time in goal are senior Madison Clark (Natick/Natick) and sophomores Mia Trottie (Cinnaminson, N.J./Bishop Eustace HS) and Erin McGuinness (Rutland/Wachusett Reg.). Clark and Trottie shared the duties last season while a knee injury kept McGuinness on the sidelines all fall.