After its first appearance in the Atlantic 10 Tournament since 2004, the Massachusetts women's soccer team hired its official replacement for ex-coach Jim Rudy with a coach familiar with winning on the other side of the commonwealth.

The Atlantic 10 women’s soccer schedule needed every last game to determine who would be in or out in this year’s tournament. Headlining the field is Dayton, who enters the tournament unbeaten in thirty games dating back to last year.

On Sunday, it took two UMass shutout victories and a Duquesne upset over La Salle to give the Massachusetts women’s soccer team a playoff berth.

With the one-two punch of Therese Smith and Sydney Stoll carrying the offense all season, several players have stepped up to help propel the Massachusetts women’s soccer team into the playoffs.

Facing two must-win games to make the conference tournament, the Minutewomen came away with two 1-0 victories. Sydney Stoll and Lauren Yelinek provided the offense in each game and the defense did the rest to secure the wins.

In what could have been their last game in a UMass uniform with a loss, the Minutewomen, led by their seniors on Senior Day extended their season. With a 1-0 win over Richmond, UMass grabbed the sixth and final spot in the A-10 Tournament allowing the seniors another chance to extend their careers.

In order to reach the Atlantic 10 Tournament, the Massachusetts women’s soccer team will need to win its last two games this season. Though the Minutewomen would need a host of scenarios to play out, they can greatly improve their chances of making postseason play by defeating both George Washington and Richmond this weeked.

After being benched at halftime against Saint Joseph’s earlier this season, goalie Lauren Luckey returned to start against Dayton on Sunday. Luckey allowed three goals on 22 attempts while recording nine saves in a 3-0 loss to the Flyers.

UMass lost to both Xavier and Dayton on the weekend, slimming its chances of making the Atlantic 10 Tournament in two weeks. The Mintuewomen have two home games this weekend to make a final push for a spot.

The Massachusetts women’s soccer team hits the road this weekend to Xavier play and undefeated Dayton aiming for one last late season surge. They trail Saint Joseph’s, La Salle and Richmond in the hunt for the coveted sixth seed in the conference tournament.