Bowdoin won a penalty-stroke shootout to claim its third NCAA Division III field hockey championship, 2-1, over Messiah on Sunday afternoon. McKenna Teague notched the game-winner as the Polar Bears (20-1) claimed the shootout by a 3-1 margin. It is the third NCAA title in the last four years for Bowdoin.

For Messiah, it's the eighth loss in eight trips to the national championship contest, and the second in three seasons.

"It's just an unbelievable privilege to win a championship – something we don't take for granted and Messiah played very well today, but I am also very proud of my team," said Bowdoin coach Nicky Pearson. "They hung in there and found the way to win; I am always very proud of their determination."

Tied at one apiece after regulation and two overtimes, the first two penalty stroke chances for each team were unsuccessful. In the top of the third round of the best-of-five, Emily French snapped a shot to the lower-left corner. After Messiah converted on its third-round chance to tie strokes at one apiece, Kassey Matoin converted inside the left post to give Bowdoin a 2-1 edge. Messiah missed their fourth-round chance, giving Bowdoin the opportunity to seal the win. Teague stepped up and deposited the game-winner to the lower-right corner to give the Polar Bears the national championship.

"It was a little nerve-wracking, but coach just told us to picture us back at home in Brunswick, at home with nobody watching," Teague said. "That definitely made us feel better. I was really nervous and wasn't thinking too much about what was really happening; I didn't even realize  we were up 2-1 at the time of my stroke, I didn't know mine was the winner. But I just took it and it went in and the team came all around me."

Bowdoin carried a one-goal lead into intermission when Ella Curren ripped a feed from Katie Herter into the right corner just 1:57 before halftime. Messiah evened the score after a flurry of chances in the 62nd minute when Emily Hursh redirected a hard shot from Natalie Ziegler to tie the game with just 8:52 left in regulation. 

"To tell you the truth, I don't know (whether it's just a guess or not)," Emily Neilson said of stopping penalty strokes. "At that point, it's a metaphysical experience or something like that. It's just you, the ball and catlike reflexes, hopefully. My size probably does give me an advantage." Bowdoin athletics photos courtesy Stacy Whiting Photography

Messiah had the best opportunity to put the game away in overtime, but Bowdoin's Brooke Phinney made a clutch defensive save to preserve Bowdoin's national title hopes.

Emily Neilson was outstanding, making seven saves to earn the win in net for the Polar Bears, and also stopped a pair in the penalty stroke shootout. Kayleigh Stewart stopped six shots for Messiah.

The win caps a sensational career for Bowdoin seniors Shannon Malloy, Ingrid Oelschlager, Jessie Small, Phoebe McCarthy, Michaela Calnan and Emily Neilson, who establish themselves as one of the most successful classes in Division III field hockey history. The six-member class won three NCAA titles in their four seasons and never lost a game in NCAA tournament play (12-0). Additionally, the Polar Bears earn a measure of revenge against the Falcons - the team that defeated Bowdoin twice in the NCAA semifinals, in 2005 and 2006.

Messiah's season ends at 19-3.