AMHERST, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) - For the second year in a row, the UMass Minutewomen’s lacrosse team is preparing for the NCAA tournament. The women are traveling on Wednesday to Annapolis, Maryland ahead of their regional matchup against Navy on Friday.

The UMass Minutewomen’s lacrosse team wrapped up their final practice at Garber Field before traveling to the terrapin state to face off against the Navy Midshipmen. The Minutewomen clinched an automatic bid into the tournament after winning the Mid-American Conference tournament down in Pennsylvania last Saturday. During the tournament, they only allowed 8 goals including holding Akon to just 3 in the championship game.

“Our coaches gave us a great layout I think everyone followed that to a T and it worked out in our favor,” said UMass senior defenseman Heather Clark.

The women are returning to the NCAA tournament after last year’s defeat to the Princeton Tigers in the first round. This year, the team is going into the big dance riding a 12-game-winning-streak – and the program’s record holder for career goals wants to keep the good vibes rolling.

“I think our mindset’s a little different. I think we want to keep it going as long as we can, and we’re just going to keep doing that,” said senior attack Kassidy Morris.

For those who’ve followed the lacrosse program through the years - this year’s success comes as no surprise. The team sports one of the best defenses in the country, led by Bridget Valentine — who was named MAC Defensive Player of the Year, and the program has made 18 straight conference championships dating back to their days in the Atlantic 10 Conference.

Head Coach Jana Drummond has been with the program for 9 years, and she tells us she attributes the team’s family atmosphere to the program’s overall success, “I tell them every day I love this group so much, and it’s not just about lacrosse for us. You can tell they don’t just play for themselves. They play for each other. And as a coach, you just couldn’t ask for anything more.”

Their opponents Friday aren’t any slouches — they’re facing the reigning Patriot League champions, and their Hall-of-Fame Head Coach Cindy Timchal has a Division I record 611 career wins, so expect this one to be tight.

“Navy’s a very respectable opponent. You know, it might not be a 10-goal game that we’ve had. I think it’s, you know, the winner is by one goal, and that’s what we have to focus on.”

You can catch the lacrosse team in action at 3 p.m. on Friday on ESPN+.