After riding an impressive four game unbeaten streak, it seems the UMass Boston women’s soccer team has finally started to cool off. Although they find themselves carrying the unwanted burden of a four game losing streak, it’s not as bad as it might seem.

Firstly, the Lady Beacons have held their own, scoring seven goals to their opponent’s 13. Second, the combined record of all four opponents is an impressive 41-11-4. So for a young Lady Beacons team that was predicted to finish last, there were a lot of positives to be taken from this stretch.

One being that the Lady Beacons learned a lot about themselves.

“I think that from the Eastern Connecticut game we learned that we have the ability to compete with anyone in our league,” freshman forward Kristin Mulry said. “Even though we lost, we proved to the other teams in our league that we’re not going to go down without a fight.”

Freshman forward Molly Kuchar credited the Lady Beacons’ efforts to endurance.

“We were able to play hard for the first time all season for all 90 minutes,” she said. “We were seen as the underdogs so we tried to use that to our advantage.”

Endurance isn’t the only newfound quality the Lady Beacons have discovered. Over the last few games, the girls have gotten more and more familiar with the back of the net. During their first seven games, they only managed to net nine goals. However, in their last eight games they’ve been able to score 24, an impressive three goals per game average.

With only two conference games left, it’s important for the Lady Beacons to find a way to keep up these habits.

“We need to just keep things simple and play our game,” head coach, Amy Zombeck said. “The remaining two conference games are huge.”

Mulry shows no lack of confidence that the Lady Beacons can finish strong.

“As long as we play as tough in our next two games as we have in the Eastern and Western Connecticut games, then we will win our last two conference games,” Mulry predicted.

With the top six teams in the conference moving onto the LEC tournament, the Lady Beacons find themselves in an opportune position. With a win in their next conference game the Lady Beacons would almost certainly wrap up one of those coveted spots. It would be their first trip to the tournament in team history. No surprise for a squad that has made a living out of making history.

Kuchar expressed the Lady Beacons’ determination to make history.

“Ever since the start of the season, we have wanted to make history and make it into the tournament,” she said. “These next two games are crucial in deciding if we are able to go to the play-offs or not.”

Senior captain, Kristi Morales provided a glimpse of how the Lady Beacons could finish.

“We have two very winnable games left in the conference,” she said. “As long as we come out and do what we need to do, I think we should come out in the top three or four.”

If these girls had their way, they would be talking about the number one or two spot. However, a late 10-minute stretch against Eastern Connecticut changed that.

With a little over 10 minutes left against Eastern Connecticut, the Lady Beacons were protecting a one goal lead. They ended up allowing the equalizing goal with 6 minutes to go. A few minutes later and another Eastern Connecticut goal, the Beacons found themselves trailing with less than 3 minutes to go. However, Eastern Connecticut’s last goal didn’t come without controversy. To many of the Lady Beacons’ dismay, an offsides call went uncalled by the referee.

However, Zombeck isn’t one to play the “what if” game. She put no blame for the loss on the missed call, only exemplifying the character of this team.

“Plays happen in seconds and decisions have to be made in the blink of an eye,” she said. “You play until the whistle blows. Call or no call, we cannot put ourselves in those types of scenarios. We don’t want to focus on the things we can not control.”

Morales showed frustration as well, but saw a chance for redemption.

“Honestly we should have won that game,” she said. “Hopefully we get a second chance at them in the play-offs.”

If the Beacons can resume their high level of play, then her wish could very well be granted.