The Massachusetts women’s lacrosse team punched its ticket to the Atlantic 10 finals Friday after a high-tension game against conference rivals Richmond. No. 25 UMass (14-3, 10-0 A-10) entered the semifinal undefeated in conference play, looking to extend its winning streak on a hot Virginia afternoon.

With a 16-11 victory over the Spiders (11-8, 7-3 A-10), the Minutewomen extended their win streak to 11 and now stand just one win away from an A-10 title in what is their final season in the conference.

UMass’ only losses in 2025 occurred in non-conference play, beginning with a season-opening 12-10 defeat to Dartmouth. Turnovers and disrupted momentum proved costly in that matchup. Just days later, the Minutewomen faced their toughest opponent of the season — then No. 1 Boston College — and suffered a 22-5 loss in Chestnut Hill.

“It was a learning experience having that [game] early on in the season,” head coach Jana Drummond said. “It goes to show that we had work to do … [we had to] make adjustments in-game and be ready to adapt.”

UMass rebounded quickly. On Feb. 22, the Minutewomen picked up their first win, dismantling LIU 19-5 at Garber Field. That performance was followed by a commanding 21-8 road win over Holy Cross.

Before A-10 play began, Massachusetts faced No. 23 UConn. Despite a strong offensive showing, the Minutewomen fell 19-16 on the road, their final loss of the regular season.

After that game, UMass surged to open conference play. Against VCU on the road, the Minutewomen secured an 18-12 win. Kassidy Morris recorded 10 total points and Delaney Rodriguez-Shaw followed with five. The team outshot the Rams 36-27, with Morris, Rodriguez-Shaw and Tessa Shields combining for six of UMass’ seven fourth quarter goals to seal the victory.

The Minutewomen never looked back. They swept through the A-10 regular season, posting dominant double-digit wins over Rhode Island, Duquesne and George Washington. The wide margins of victory continued in a 19-10 win over Richmond and a 23-11 rout of La Salle at home.

Much of UMass’ success stemmed from its ability to control draws and pace in games. Led by Jordan Dean in the circle, the Minutewomen consistently gained possession early, giving their offense multiple opportunities to pull away and force opponents to play from behind. Other key players like Morris, Rodriguez-Shaw, Ava Connaughton and Lauren Tolve paved the way for Massachusetts’ success in conference play as well.

“[We] really [bought] into each moment,” Drummond said. “The seniors stepped up and the underclassmen really bought into what they were doing.”

UMass continued to assert dominance down the stretch. The team rolled past Davidson (17-7), St. Bonaventure (20-13) and UMass Lowell (18-7) before closing the regular season with a 26-4 blowout of George Mason on Senior Day. Morris broke the program’s single season scoring record in that game and currently sits at 75 goals on the year.

Despite regular season success, the Minutewomen had lost two A-10 tournament games in a row to the Spiders. They flipped the script on Friday, handling Richmond 16-11 to reach the conference title game for the 17th consecutive time.

“It’s all about trust,” Drummond said. “I think the chemistry of the team [and] trust really [creates] a family environment so [that we] can be successful.”

UMass now awaits the winner of Saint Joseph’s and VCU in the A-10 championship game. The championship will occur Sunday at noon and will be streamed on ESPN+. A victory gives the Minutewomen their first A-10 tournament title in four years.

Kate Endres can be reached at [email protected] and followed on X @Kate_e_endres.