After a historic start to the season, the University of Massachusetts Boston Men’s Soccer team fell short of the Little East Conference regular season title. Saturday, October 31, the Beacons faced up in the season finale against conference rival, Plymouth State.
Leading up to the game, the Beacons were an overall 14-3, with a 5-1 conference record, while Plymouth State was 8-6-1 overall, with a 4-1-1 conference record. Both teams had clinched playoff spots; however, the Little East Conference regular season title was still up for grabs. A win for the Beacons would clinch the number one seed for the postseason.
As the final whistle blew, an exhausted and disappointed Beacons side left the field. Despite being the favorite for the win, UMass Boston was unable to secure the victory that would have guaranteed home field advantage as the number one seed. Instead, the Beacons suffered a frustrating 1-0 loss against Plymouth State, earning them the #3 seed for the Little East Conference Tournament.

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While home field advantage is considered to be essential in most sports, Coach Beverlin is not so concerned. “It is disappointing to lose the regular season title, but the ultimate goal is the LEC postseason title,” said Beverlin. “We are comfortable playing on the road. Most of our regular season games were scheduled away. Everyone normally wants to be scheduled away, but I think we are better suited for travel anyway.”
Beverlin seems to be right. The team does appear to be better equipped for games that involve travel. Of their 18 scheduled games, 14 have been scheduled away.  In away games, the Beacons are 12-2 overall, while in home games they are 2-2 overall. Interestingly enough, the Beacons’ two away losses were games played in Boston, under 30 minutes away from the UMass Boston campus (Babson and MIT).
Whether their success away is coincidental or not doesn’t matter. What matters now is that the Beacons are an away seed for the postseason. In order to hang another championship banner, all the Beacons need to do is win two more away games.

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Despite falling short of the season title, the team is looking to the playoffs for revenge. “We feel as though Plymouth State stole the LEC title from us,” said Captain Alfonso Rosales. “We aren’t looking back now though. We are looking to the postseason. Plus we get a chance for revenge anyway. In the first round of playoffs we are set to face Plymouth State and Eastern Connecticut,” the latter being the team that won the regular season title.
Rosales isn’t the only one looking for revenge. Coach Beverlin also has his eyes set on Plymouth State. “Once the whistle blows against Plymouth we can put things right again,” said Beverlin. “We just have to work hard in practices leading up to the game. If we do that, we will get another shot in the (LEC) finale.” The Beacons now control their destiny.