CASTLETON, Vt.  – After a 1-7-2 start to the season, UMass Boston Women's Soccer has flipped the script on their season, rattling off seven wins in eight matches this October, the Beacons are headed back to the Little East Conference Tournament as the three seed after a 1-0 win over Castleton University on the road on Saturday afternoon.

THE BASICS

UMass Boston 1, Castleton U. 0

UMass Boston (8-8-2, LEC 5-3-0)

Castleton U. (7-10-1, LEC 4-3-1)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

Defense would reign in the first half of the contest as both teams would combine for 12 total shots with Castleton holding a 7-5 edge while UMass Boston held a 3-1 lead in shots on goal. The Beacons would strike for the only goal of the match in just the fifth minute of play when senior forward Kaylee Haynes scored her third goal in the last three games.

After junior forward Sarah Kelley knocked a ball between two defenders, graduate forward Lindsay Bouscaren quickly tapped the ball off the back of her foot to Haynes who had a step on her defender. The senior forward elevated the ball up and over goalkeeper Alex Benfatti, into the left side of the net to give the Beacons their 1-0 lead.

The Beacon defense would hold strong in the second half of the match as Castleton continued to look for the equalizer in the final 45 minutes of play. With a 12-3 advantage in shots in the second half, the Spartans recorded three total shots against senior goalkeeper Maria Spylios but were denied on every opportunity.

The best chance of the half would come in the 76^th minute when senior midfielder Bella Varisco elevated a ball from about 30 yards out just under the crossbar before Spylios knocked it up and over to keep Castleton off the scoreboard.

One final attempt by Varisco in the 82^nd minute from 25 yards out would again force Spylios to elevate. The senior goalkeeper elevated to push the ball up and over the top of the net as the Beacons held on for the 1-0 win on the road against Castleton to clinch the number three seed in the Little East Conference Tournament.
 
BY THE NUMBERS

• Maria Spylios earned her sixth shutout of the season for UMass Boston, stopping all five shots she faced
• Alex Benfatti stopped four of the five Beacon shots she faced in net for Castleton
• The Beacons are now 6-0 all-time against Castleton, outscoring the Spartans 14-2 in those matches
• UMass Boston heads into the LEC Tournament on a three-game winning streak and winners of seven of their last eight matches

 
WHO'S NEXT
UMass Boston is slated to begin the Little East Conference Tournament next Tuesday at 1:00 PM on UMB Soccer Field for the quarterfinals. The three-seeded Beacons will take on Keene State College, a team they defeated on the road earlier this month, 2-1, behind two goals from graduate midfielder Dani Anderson.