After losing in the opening round of the Little East Tournament to Plymouth State University, the 2007 women’s volleyball season came to an end. The Beacons finished 15-14, but their record does not reflect how far these women have come since the beginning of the year. Through the first eight games of the season, UMass came away with only one win and seven losses. Their following match against Babson College really set the tone for what would come later on in the season. Head Coach Terry Condon saw that game as the turning point for her team, rattling off a four-game win streak to put the Beacons at 5-7. “I think that game really made them think that we can win. It sort of got in their heads that we can do this. All sports are very mental, and if you can believe in yourself, believe that you can do it, usually you do,” Condon said. Although the ladies seemed to be on the right track, it took a three-game losing streak to really collaborate and get the team playing to their full potential. At the halfway point of the season, the Beacons had a record of 5-10, then went and beat Mount Holyoke to ignite an eight-game win streak. They managed to finish the regular season 15-13, heading into the Little East Tournament as a number six seed. Emily Thompson, who earned the honors of defensive player of the week twice during the season, said the team was “very upset” about being bounced in the first round of the LEC Tournament. “We thought we were going further, we thought we were going to win, maybe we just got a little over confident,” Thompson said. UMass lost to Plymouth State 3-0 and brought to an end what seemed to be a promising year in the tournament. With the loss, the Beacons not only say goodbye to their season, but also to the two remaining seniors on their roster. Denise Hill, a middle hitter who Condon said, “has made great improvements since three years ago when I first came here, and I’m really going to miss her.” Randle Stock, the setter and a key player in UMass Boston volleyball will also be parting with the team after a fantastic season. Although some players may be leaving, the team is still very young and is looking forward to an experienced team next year. Condon touched upon some of her younger talent in Natalie Crist, a sophomore who had really shown what she can do and what to look for in the next season. “She had the best year of anybody on the team, Condon said. “Her hitting percentage went way up. She was much more productive and very consistent. I was very proud of how she stepped up her game.” Even though the team lost in the first round, Condon was pleased in the way the season turned out. “From the beginning to the end I thought it was pretty good. I liked the improvement of the team throughout the season. I really enjoyed working with them, they worked hard in practice. I didn’t really have to ride them to get them going, and they motivated themselves a lot.”Next season should be very interesting, considering this season’s bright spots. They had five freshman, four sophomores, and one junior that made up most of the 12-women roster. As far as off-season workouts, Condon hopes to keep the team focused in the five “non-traditional” weeks they have, and work on the ladies’ individual skills. Hopefully the young team will have matured towards a championship level next season, but only time will tell.