ST. LOUIS— [BOX SCORE] Missouri Baptist women's soccer won the AMC regular season title on Saturday afternoon in dramatic fashion with a 1-0 victory over Lindenwood-Belleville. A capacity crowd at Spartan Field erupted as senior Alyssa Matz scored the game-winning goal with just under four minutes remaining in the first golden goal overtime period.
 
After William Woods held first place Columbia College to a 2-2 draw on Friday night, the Spartans had control of their own destiny but they needed all three points against a solid LU-Belleville squad. The Lady Lynx controlled the match for much of the first half. Less than 10 minutes into the contest, MBU goalkeeper Jemica Artillaga was needed to deflect a dangerous LUB chance off the cross bar.
 
The Spartans couldn't quite get the offense going in the opening 45 and were fortunate to go into halftime tied 0-0. After the break, however, the urgency from the navy and white was evident.
 
MBU controlled possession and launched eight shot attempts in the second half. Lady Lynx goalkeeper Luisa Santillan was up to the task, maintaining the scoreless draw. Overtime was on tap.
 
The moment the Spartans had been waiting for finally arrived with 3:47 to go in the first extra period. Alexis Ramey played a through ball down the sideline and right winger Alyssa Matz was able to run on to it. The senior had an angle on her defender and cut towards the goal. Matz then delivered a clinical strike into the top corner past Santillan. The MBU bench flooded off the sideline to dogpile their teammate. With an unbeaten AMC record (10-0-2) and a season total of 32 points, Missouri Baptist captured its first regular season conference title in 16 years.
 
"First I want to give a big congratulations to all the players," noted MBU Head Coach Deno Merrick. "We wouldn't be here without them. Also, my coaching staff for working tirelessly with the players individually and collectively."
 
Merrick knew finding one more win wouldn't be easy, especially against a rival such as Lindenwood-Belleville. But as they've done all season, his team dug deeper and found a way to pull it off.
 
"As a team we have been finding different ways to win all season and we had to find our resolve again today," Merrick said. "We showed strength and character as a team and showed that we still have more to give."
 
The win earns Missouri Baptist (10-4-3, 10-0-2 AMC) a place in the NAIA National Championship Opening Round on November 17 (location TBD). Prior to that, the Spartans will be the No. 1 seed in the AMC Postseason Tournament beginning next Friday, November 2. They'll take a 13-match unbeaten streak into a meeting with the No. 8 seeded Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) Lady Lions at 1 pm at Spartan Field.
 
*Notes*

• Prior to the game, the Spartans honored this year's nine seniors with a special ceremony.
• Senior captain Danielle Wilde was given one final start after suffering a knee injury on October 13 against Columbia. Wilde took the opening kickoff before being subbed out one final time to a standing ovation.