The Massachusetts women’s soccer team struggled against Saint Louis on Sunday, falling 3-1 in the Atlantic 10 Championship game on Sunday. The Billikens (14-1-6, 7-0-3 A-10) secured their seventh consecutive A-10 championship title at home with the victory over UMass (13-5-3, 6-2-2 A-10).
With less than a minute remaining, the Minutewomen’s goalkeeper, Bella Mendoza, sent a goal kick to the left field, aiming to advance the ball upfield for a final scoring opportunity. Saint Louis’ Hannah Larson intercepted the pass and quickly found Emily Gaebe, who maneuvered around the UMass defense and volleyed the ball into the left corner of the net, sealing the Billikens’ 3-1 victory.
“I’m disappointed in the final score,” head coach Jason Dowiak said. “I don’t think it really reflects how close the game was.”
As both teams vied for control in the early minutes, Saint Louis broke the deadlock in the 13th minute with another one-two play between Larson and Gaebe. Under pressure from multiple Minutewomen, Larson tapped the ball forward to an open Gaebe. Gaebe cut past UMass defender Hannah Peric and drove a low shot into the left corner of the net, putting Saint Louis on the scoreboard.
Though the Billikens pressed hard against the Minutewomen’s defensive line in the early minutes, UMass responded to Saint Louis’s opening goal and shifted the momentum in its favor.
The Minutewomen countered quickly with a line drive up the right side of the field from Chandler Pedolzky, delivering a cross into dangerous territory. Bella Recinos, positioned on the far side of the net, made a well-timed sliding effort to meet the ball. Getting a foot on the end of it, Recinos sent the ball into the back of the net for the equalizer.
“To be able to come out … and get settled into the game and give up a goal and not lose our focus and composure and get the goal back, I thought was just fantastic,” Dowiak said. “It was an awesome moment from [Pedolzky] to [Recinos].”
The Billikens’ second goal came in the 74th minute from one of their 10 corner kicks. Katie Houck delivered a well-placed cross into the box, where Lyndsey Heckel headed the ball past Mendoza and into the back of the net. The goal gave Saint Louis a 2-1 edge with just over 15 minutes remaining in the match.
“It was tough giving up the second goal,” Dowiak said. “But we kept creating chances.”
Pedolzky almost countered with a rocket of a shot from multiple yards outside the 18, but the shot went slightly over, deflected by the top crossbar.
Seeking an equalizer, UMass pushed players forward to level the playing field but left its back line vulnerable, allowing Gaebe to score the Billikens’ third goal in the final seconds.
“I’m really proud of our team and really proud of what we were able to do in a really difficult place to play,” Dowiak said.
Without an automatic bid following the loss against Saint Louis, the Minutewomen hope to secure a spot in the NCAA tournament later this month.
“It’s a special group … there’s just so much love,” Dowiak said. “I hope that we get another game, we’ve done enough, I think, to get to the national tournament and I hope this group gets rewarded with all the work they’ve put in.”
The selections for the NCAA tournament will be announced on Nov. 11 at 4 p.m.
Kate Endres can be reached at [email protected] and followed on X at @Kate_e_endres.
