BOSTON, Mass. (Nov. 4, 2026) — The UMass Boston Beacons (7-6-5, 5-2-1 LEC) turned in one of their grittiest performances of the season Wednesday night, defeating the Keene State Owls (7-8-4, 3-3-2 LEC) 1-0 at James Cotter Field to advance to the 2026 Little East Conference Championship.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Devan Booth (Manchester, N.H.) broke the deadlock in the 30th minute, converting from close range with an assist from Cloe Kapetanakos (Weymouth, Mass.) to give UMass Boston a 1-0 lead it would never relinquish. The Beacons carried that margin into halftime and then withstood a relentless second-half assault from Keene State, which outshot UMass Boston 23-11 overall and 11-4 in shots on goal across the full 90 minutes.
The match was defined by a series of high-stakes moments that could have swung the result in either direction. Just before halftime, Keene State's Mariella Tsitsonis rattled the crossbar in the 40th minute, the ball staying out to preserve the Beacons' lead.
In the 70th minute, Alexis Williamson (Nassau, Bahamas) drew a penalty kick that offered UMass Boston a chance to double the advantage, but Keene State goalkeeper Michaela DiCicco came up with the save to keep the deficit at one.
With two minutes remaining, Janiya Morales Matier (North Easton, Mass.) stopped a point-blank header from Elise Saab to seal the shutout and send UMass Boston through to it's first LEC Championship appearance since 2021.
BY THE NUMBERS
Matier was the story of the night between the posts. The sophomore goalkeeper made 11 saves — tying her 2026 season high, a mark she had previously set against Southern Maine and Eastern Connecticut State — and recorded her seventh shutout of the season. Her performance pushed her season save total to 100, reaching the century mark against the Owls' relentless attack. Keene State's Kylie Rapoza was the most dangerous individual threat, putting four of her five shots on goal as a substitute, but Matier turned away every one of them.
Booth's goal was the difference. The junior forward put both of her shots on frame before being substituted off at the 74th minute, and her finish in the 30th minute — moments after Keene State's Jada Lucas had made a goal-line defensive clearance — proved to be all the Beacons needed. Kapetanakos, whose assist was her third of the 2026 season and ties for the team lead, played 80 minutes and added two shots of her own.
Daniella Celotto (Prospect, Conn.), the team's leading scorer with four goals on the season, was responsible for most of UMass Boston's six corner kicks before being substituted off at 41 minutes. Amanda Regan (Pepperell, Mass.) led the Beacons in shots with four, playing the full 90 minutes and generating consistent offensive pressure.
UP NEXT
UMass Boston returns to action Saturday, Nov. 7, when the Beacons travel to Willimantic, Conn., to face the LEC Regular Season Champions, the Eastern Connecticut State Warriors in the 2026 Little East Conference Championship. Tip-off time is to be announced.
To stay up to date on all things UMass Boston Athletics, follow the Beacons on Instagram (@UMassBeacons), and X (UMassBostonAthletics), and read the latest stories and updates here at https://beaconsathletics.com
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