No. 5 UMass turned a dominant first quarter into a 5-1 win over Kent State in the MAC semifinals, advancing to its second straight conference championship game. Amber Fairon scored twice, and Niamh McKenzie added her team-leading 20th goal as the Minutewomen improved to 18-1.

By the Numbers
  • UMass outshot Kent State, 18-7.
  • UMass held a 10-3 edge in penalty corners.
  • McKenzie has 20 goals and 47 points this season.
Yes, But

Kent State cut the deficit to 4-1 in the third quarter, but UMass held firm and added a late goal to seal the win.

State of Play
  • UMass will face second-seeded Miami or third-seeded James Madison in Saturday’s MAC title game.
  • The championship winner earns an automatic NCAA Tournament bid.
What’s Next

The title game is set for 1 p.m. Saturday in Oxford, Ohio.

Bottom Line

UMass is one win from the MAC championship and an automatic NCAA berth, backed by a deep attack and a season-best 18 victories.