BRIDGEWATER, Mass. (Sept. 8, 2026) — The UMass Boston Beacons (1-1-1) rallied from a second-half deficit to defeat Bridgewater State University 2-1 on the road Tuesday, with junior forward Devan Booth (Manchester, N.H.) scoring the Beacons' first goal of the season and sophomore midfielder Sam Diaz (Carpentersville, Ill.) delivering the game-winner to claim the team's first win of 2026.
HOW IT HAPPENED
A scoreless first half gave way to a dramatic 26-minute stretch that decided the match. Bridgewater State broke through in the 53rd minute when Kate Fitzpatrick converted off an assist from Leah Velazquez, putting the hosts in front 1-0.
Booth responded with the program's first goal of the 2026 season at the 61-minute mark, finishing an unassisted strike to level the score at 1-1.
She then turned from scorer to provider, combining with sophomore forward Sasha Wood (District of Columbia, Md.) to set up Diaz for the game-winner in the 79th minute, giving the Beacons a 2-1 lead they would not relinquish.
BY THE NUMBERS:
Booth was the engine of the comeback, recording a goal and an assist across 90 minutes and generating four shots with two on goal — a direct hand in both UMass Boston goals.
Diaz made her mark immediately off the bench, with all three of her shots finding the target. Her game-winning strike was the decisive blow in 54 minutes of action.
Wood was equally influential before her substitution, leading all players with six shots and delivering an assist on the decisive strike in 63 minutes of play.
UMass Boston's offensive pressure was relentless throughout, as the Beacons outshot Bridgewater State 22-9 overall and held a 5-1 advantage in corner kicks.
Sophomore goalkeeper Janiya Morales Matier (North Easton, Mass.) was steady in net, making five saves on six shots faced across the full 90 minutes to preserve the result.
UP NEXT:
The Beacons return to action tomorrow (Wednesday, Sept. 9), traveling to Wellesley, Mass., to face Wellesley College. Kickoff is set for 4:00 PM.
To stay up to date on all things UMass Boston Athletics, follow the Beacons on Instagram (@UMassBeacons), X (UMassBostonAthletics) and YouTube (@UMassBeacons), and follow the latest updates at UMass Boston - Official Athletics Website.
--FIND A WAY--
