After their collegiate debut, UMass Boston’s Women’s Lacrosse team went up against the Fitchburg State Falcons. Even though the Beacons are struggling to win matches or even tie with their seasoned opponents, each match has been a learning experience for the team. They have humbly accepted each loss and learned from each missed goal.
For the first time in their young program history, the Beacons held a lead. Teresa Sheedy scored the game opener for UMass Boston; it was Sheedy’s second goal of the year, and her historical feat put the Beacons up 1–0. The Beacons held the lead for a full two minutes before the Falcons tied the game up. The setback earned them retaliation from Mia Boyd, as she potted her fourth goal of the season to help break the tie. However, this sequence was then followed by a set of consecutive goals by the Falcons, turning the tide of the game. Sheedy was able to help the Beacons recover, scoring her second goal of the quarter, again tying the game at 3–3.
Despite the even match after the first quarter, the second and third did not go as planned. The offense faced a major setback, Emily Pearl’s second goal of the season was the only time the Beacons were seen scoring prior to the fourth quarter, while the Falcons took control and netted a total of 10 goals. In the fourth, women’s hockey goaltender Leah Bosch made her debut in net as a goalkeeper, releasing Laura Falandys from her duties. Her saves proved vital in keeping the Falcons off the board.
On the offensive end, the Beacons potted four goals, and saw captain Brianna Damske score her first collegiate goal. The Beacons have improved a lot in terms of their skills and how to play as a team. The team is still learning, and even the coaches are still navigating their way through the young inaugural season.
At the very least, the team is doing really well for their debut season. This season is not about winning, but learning from their mistakes and testing the waters of lacrosse at the collegiate level. The names that are a part of this season are forever going down in the program history, and their efforts are evident; this season is proving to be a learning curve for everyone involved.
The Beacons are giving their best both on and off the field in an effort to translate their play into scoring more goals. In their first game, they lost 20–7, and in the second, they were able to improve despite coming away with a 13–7 defeat. Their offensive game has been constant, and from the scoresheet, improvement can be seen on the defensive front.
Their improvement is gradual and constant. Like any new program, they are currently finding it a little difficult to establish themselves, but seeing their progress and the way this season started, it should be easy to make their mark as time passes by. Like any other first season, this will probably not be the season they win the LEC, but at least their name will be on the board.
Women’s lacrosse is all set and ready to give their all in their next matches. They are taking every loss extremely well and channeling it toward a positive and inclusive experience. They are giving their best, which will definitely help the program in the future. Rationally, a lot of expectations cannot be placed on their shoulders, but the trajectory of this season will set the tone for the future of this program at UMass Boston.
The coaches are also new and fresh; they are trying to set an example while trying to keep the team on track. Since this is their debut season, the coaches have nothing to look back on, which unfortunately, makes things even harder. Overall though, the team looks promising and are not going to go down without a fight.