SAINT LOUIS, Mo. -- With the game tied at one and 17 minutes left, the Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Year Lyndsey Heckel put Saint Louis ahead finding the bottom right of the net off a Katie Houck assist. Heckel's game-winning goal gave Saint Louis its seventh-straight Atlantic 10 Women's Soccer Championship as the No. 1 Billikens defeated No. 3 UMass, 3-1 on Sunday.

Saint Louis (14-1-6) earns the Atlantic 10's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament and will find out its opponent tomorrow at 4:00 p.m. ET. UMass stands at 13-5-3 and will find out its NCAA Tournament fate tomorrow as well.

The Atlantic 10 Offensive Player of the Year Emily Gaebe started the scoring in the first half putting the ball through the defenders legs in the bottom left corner of the goal to give the Billikens a 1-0 lead. The Atlantic 10 Midfielder of the Year Bella Recinos tied it for UMass 24 minutes later, assisted by Chandler Pedolzky, the first goal scored against Saint Louis in the Atlantic 10 Championship since 2021. 

The score would remain tied at halftime and for a majority of the game until Heckel's goal broke the tie in the 73rd minute, giving the graduate defender Most Outstanding Player honors. Saint Louis added an insurance goal with a minute left from All-Championship Team member Emily Gaebe, her second of the day to go up 3-1.

The Billikens outshot Saint Louis, 16-6. UMass goalie Bella Mendoza had four huge saves to keep UMass even for 73 minutes. 

Heckel's Most Outstanding Player honor is the second of her career as she also won it in 2022. Joining Heckel and Gaebe on the All-Championship team from Saint Louis are Katie Houck, Hannah Larson, Emily Puricelli and Lucie Schwartz. From UMass, Emma Pedolsky, Bella Recinos and Julianna Ryan earned a spot on the team. Dayton's Riley Kerber and Saint Joseph's Katie Cappelletti also made the team. 

In its seven-year title run, Saint Louis has outscored opponents 61-9. In this year's Championship, the Billikens outscored Davidson, Saint Joseph's and UMass 7-1.