Portland Hearts of Pine are preparing for the final 14 games of the regular season, a critical stretch as the second-year club sits seven points below the playoff line.

Injuries and absences have required Hearts to make frequent changes to their starting lineup. Now that players are getting healthy, head coach Bobby Murphy has a better read of the team.

"I think we've used more players than anybody in the league, and that's not by choice. My hand has been forced," Murphy said. "I think what we've found out over the last couple of weeks is who's up for the fight because that's what it is now.

"It's a fight to the end, and you have to pick up points every game and get on a little bit of a run. You see who's up for it, and you just got to ride those horses, and hopefully you build a little momentum."

Murphy noted that Matteo Kidd and Diogo Barbosa have stepped up recently, giving Hearts "something different in the midfield."

Aboubacar Camara has shown solid hold-up play and movement, complementing his six goals on 17 shots. Murphy called his performance against the Greenville Triumph, "the most complete 70 minutes he's had as a pro."

Hearts have signed an attacking player, who will be announced in the coming week. There's a possibility of adding beyond that, especially after Dylan Sing was recalled due to an injury at Indy Eleven.

"I think we're still in the market [to add players]," Murphy said. "We're hunting for loan players and that sort of thing."

When asked specifically about adding a striker, Murphy responded, "I think that's a need. We're trying to find one, and they're hard to come by."

One possibility is a trialist named Rodrigo, who played up top against Connecticut United after recently arriving in Portland. While No. 73 did earn a "trialist" chant from the Dirigo Union, a decision hasn't been made on his future. Even if he did sign, it would take at least 15 days to get his visa.

Hearts had two more trialists on Wednesday. Midfielder Eli Granda has been training with Hearts ahead of his first season at Dartmouth College. The other trialist, who just arrived, started as a midfielder before shifting to right back.

Regardless of who is on the field, Hearts are hoping to replicate last year when a late push propelled them to a semifinal match that they narrowly lost.

"We're working hard," Esteben Espinosa said. "Sometimes in this game, there's lots that we can't control, but we're doing what we can to control it. That's how we show up every day to every game. We put in our maximum effort, and hopefully the results will speak for themselves because we're working hard."