UMass Boston has jumped out to a 3-0 start in the 2025-26 season following their 1-0 victory over Russell Sage College on Saturday, Sept. 6.
A three game small sample size of undefeated soccer from a team that has outlasted eight of eight Little East Conference opponents. Southern Maine, who beat out the Beacons in the LEC’s preseason coaches poll by three points, holds a trailing 2-1 record.
Coming off a strong freshman season, sophomore Sofia Schallmo has picked up right where she left off. Schallmo scored three times against the Coast Guard after picking up an assist in their opener. She finished her freshman year with 16 goals and is well on her way to another productive season.
On a new note, the Beacons have a new first-year goalkeeper that’s kept the net clean for the most part so far. Freshman Janiya Matier from North Easton has stopped thirteen of the first fourteen shots on net she’s seen in a full 270 minutes of playing time. The rookie reeled in her first career shutout in her debut, and her second just about a week later.
On the offensive end, UMass Boston has a chance to be a little more explosive than they’ve been in recent years, already accomplishing that within just three games. The Beacons scored four or more goals in a game just five times over the past three seasons. Schallmo and company, including now-senior Andrea Rivera, seem capable of taking the offense to another level this year. The Beacons five goals in their opening two games are tied for the most — 2023 — by the program since 2013. In the 2024-2025 season, the Beacons were also the first team in program history to surrender just one or fewer goals in the first three games of the season — this year’s team has matched that.
With no LEC matchup until September 20, UMass Boston has time to gel and run through three more games in preparation for their Little East schedule. Schallmo, of course, leads the team in goals and points. She’s one of four Beacons to net one this year, including Ashely Palmer, who scored the lone goal against Russell Sage. That was Palmer’s, a junior, first career Beacons goal.
Six Beacons have collected points so far, and eight have landed shots on net. The wealth has been spread and production is coming from numerous places. Their offense is diverse and dynamic, and from what’s been shown they may have something special in front of the net in Matier.
As the competition ramps up and in-conference opponents step in, it will be interesting to see what comes from Matier, the freshman, when more pressure starts to pile. She’s filling the shoes of former starter Julia Cote, who went 7-1-2 in her junior season.
Coming up, the Beacons host Wellesley College on Wednesday, Sept. 10 to conclude their three game home-stand. They’ll then take to the road for four straight matches, stretching until Saturday, Sept. 27 when they welcome Keene State in an LEC matchup.
