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THE RESULT
Saint Louis 3, Massachusetts 1
Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024 | Noon
Hermann Stadium | St. Louis, Mo.
GAME DETAILS
•A pivotal goal by tournament Most Outstanding Player Lyndsey Heckel in the 74th minute propelled top-seeded Saint Louis to a decisive 3-1 victory over third-seeded Massachusetts during the Atlantic 10 Championship final, held Sunday afternoon at the scenic Hermann Stadium.
•With this resounding win, SLU (14-1-6) captured their remarkable seventh consecutive A-10 Championship title, simultaneously securing the Atlantic 10’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
•The Billikens will learn their first-round NCAA match opponent, venue, and date on Monday during the highly anticipated NCAA Tournament Selection Show scheduled for 3 p.m., which will be streamed live on NCAA.com. Entering the matchup, Saint Louis was ranked 25th in the NCAA Ratings Percentage Index following an outstanding season.
•Heckel, who not only contributed significantly to the win but also earned her second A-10 Championship Most Outstanding Player award (following her honor in 2022), was joined on the All-Tournament team by notable players Emily Gaebe, Katie Houck, Emily Puricelli, Lucie Schwartz, and Hannah Larson.
•Heckel’s pivotal goal, marking her sixth of the season, was executed brilliantly from a corner-kick serve initiated by Houck, who collected her fifth assist of the year in the process.
•Gaebe’s exceptional performance included scoring Saint Louis’ first goal in the 13th minute and securing the final goal in the 90th minute, bringing her league-leading totals to an impressive 15 goals and 34 points. Both of these crucial goals were assisted by Larson, who now holds a team-high six assists this season.
•The match saw Bella Recinos netting an equalizer for Massachusetts in the 37th minute, resulting in a tightly contested 1-1 tie at halftime, demonstrating the competitive spirit of both teams.
SCORING SUMMARY
Emily Gaebe (Hannah Larson), 12:21, SLU 1-0; Bella Recinos (Chandler Pedolzky), 36:16, tied 1-1; Lyndsey Heckel (Katie Houck), 73:14, SLU 2-1; Emily Gaebe (Hannah Larson), 89:17, SLU 3-1
BILLIKEN NOTABLES
•SLU extended its impressive unbeaten streak to 16 games (12-0-4), showing their dominance and consistency in performance.
•The Billikens maintained a strong record against Massachusetts, improving to 13-1-3 overall in matches against them.
•Saint Louis boasts a remarkable all-time record of 26-5-1 in A-10 Championship games, highlighted by an unparalleled current winning streak of 20 games in the tournament.
•The Billikens have now extended their impressive unbeaten streak against A-10 opponents—encompassing both the regular season and conference tournaments—to an astonishing 42 games.
•Statistically, SLU is 78-9-11 (.852) over their last 98 games at Hermann Stadium, demonstrating a substantial home-field advantage. In those 98 games against A-10 foes, the Billikens have amassed an outstanding record of 55-1-4.
•The Billikens out-shot Massachusetts a commanding 16-6 overall and garnered 7-3 in shots on target, with Heckel leading with a game-high total of four shots, while Gaebe recorded three shots on goal, further emphasizing their offensive prowess.
•The Billikens earned a notable 10-5 advantage in corner kicks, showcasing their ability to create scoring opportunities.
•Heckel, Puricelli, and Larson made the All-Tournament team for the fourth time, underlining their consistent excellence, while Gaebe and Houck achieved this honor for the second time in their careers.
•Gaebe’s remarkable performance added to her school-record career totals, elevating her to an astounding 47 goals and 116 points.
•Heckel’s game-winning goal marked her 11th career game-winner, tying her for third place on the all-time list for Billikens.
•Larson reached a significant milestone with her 20th career assist, which places her eighth on SLU’s historical chart.
•Puricelli celebrated her 81st career victory, further solidifying her school-record total.
SAINT LOUIS STARTERS
Emily Puricelli, Lucie Schwartz, Hope Kim, Julia Simon, Eva Schreiber, Hannah Larson, Katie Houck, Emily Gaebe, Lyndsey Heckel, Sophia Stram, Elise Le
SAINT LOUIS SUBSTITUTES
Hannah Sawyer, Audrey Smith, Ashley Miller, Rylee Howard, Katelyn Brinkman, Caigan Leonard
**Interview with Lindsey Heckel – A-10 Championship Most Outstanding Player**
**Editor:** Welcome, Lindsey! Congratulations on your outstanding performance in the A-10 Championship final. Your pivotal goal not only helped secure the win for Saint Louis but also earned you the Most Outstanding Player award for the second year in a row. How does it feel to achieve this honor again?
**Lyndsey Heckel:** Thank you so much! It’s incredibly special to be recognized once again, especially in such an important game. This win was a true team effort, and I’m just proud to contribute to our success.
**Editor:** Your goal came in the 74th minute, which was a crucial moment in the match. Can you walk us through that play?
**Lyndsey Heckel:** Absolutely! The play started with a corner kick taken by Katie Houck. I just made a run toward the back post, and when the ball came in, I was in the right place at the right time to finish it. It’s all about reading the game and working together with my teammates.
**Editor:** You mentioned teamwork; Emily Gaebe had two goals in the game, and both were assisted by Hannah Larson. How important is team chemistry in your gameplay?
**Lyndsey Heckel:** It’s everything! We’ve developed a strong understanding on the field over the years. Players like Emily and Hannah make my job a lot easier. When everyone knows their roles and trusts each other, it creates opportunities for us to score.
**Editor:** With this victory, Saint Louis has now won seven consecutive A-10 Championships! What do you think has been the key to this impressive streak?
**Lyndsey Heckel:** I think it’s our dedication and the culture we’ve built within the team. We work hard every single day, and there’s a strong belief that we can achieve great things when we stick together. Plus, the support from our coaches and the entire SLU community has been phenomenal.
**Editor:** Your next challenge will be the NCAA Tournament. What are you looking forward to as you prepare for that?
**Lyndsey Heckel:** We’re excited for the opportunity to compete at the national level! It’s a new season and a fresh chance to showcase our skills. We’ll focus on recovery and preparation because we really want to make a strong run in the tournament.
**Editor:** Thank you, Lindsey! Best of luck in the upcoming matches, and once again, congratulations on an incredible performance.
**Lyndsey Heckel:** Thank you! I appreciate it!
