It was a struggle for women’s basketball to open the year, going 2-7 in their first nine games. The Beacons had trouble hitting shots, losing by big margins in their first seven losses.
After a loss to Eastern Connecticut State, 64-53, on Dec. 7, UMass Boston took a well-deserved break for the holidays and hit the court on Dec. 27 for the Florida Sunshine Shootout in Daytona Beach for a weekend doubleheader against Stevens and Amherst College.
The Beacons took care of the Stevens Ducks 74-65 to start the weekend. Sophomore forward Sabanna Berrios led the team in scoring with 18 points of the day.
The next day, Dec. 28, UMass Boston took on the Amherst College Mammoths. The Mammoths took the lead 20-7 at the end of the first quarter and didn’t hold up. The Beacons fell 68-30 to go 1-1 in the tournament.
Next up, UMass Boston traveled to Fitchburg, Massachusetts, on Jan. 4 to take on the Fitchburg State Falcons and struck the gas pedal from the opening basket. The Beacons took the lead 53-21 at the half and continued to rain down the points, winning 95-54 in the Beacons’ highest-scoring game of the season. The starting five produced 53 of the team’s 95 points, with the bench scoring 42 points.
Jan. 8, the Beacons continued their road trip to Gorham, Maine, for a battle against the University of Southern Maine Huskies. It was a close game the whole way through. The Huskies began to break away with a 20-10 run in the second quarter, leading 30-23 at the half. UMass Boston battled through the second half but fell short, losing 71-67.
After a long road trip, the Beacons came home to Beaconville on Jan. 11 to host the Keene State Owls. UMass Boston led by one point at the half, 32-31. Then the Beacons put the clamps on in the third, allowing only three points, and beat Keene State’s comeback attempt in the fourth to win 50-47.
Three days later, on Jan. 14, UMass Dartmouth came to Beaconville for a tough matchup. UMass Boston kept it close in the first quarter, but the Corsairs showed why they’re the best team in the Little East and won 69-46.
Finally, on Jan. 16, the Beacons went to Plymouth, New Hampshire, to take on the Plymouth State Panthers. UMass Boston had a strong fourth quarter and won 65-68.
The Beacons went 4-3 during this stretch and improved to 6-10. They hope to get a winning record and possibly a Little East tournament run.
