ORONO - For the first time in program history, the University of Maine field hockey program earned the America East Conference Championship on Sunday afternoon, taking down rival UAlbany in an overtime shootout to earn a trip to the NCAA Tournament. 

In front of a raucous crowd in Orono, the Black Bear duo of Julia Ross and Chloe Walton converted on their shootout attempts and America East Goalkeeper of the Year Mia Borley stopped five of six UAlbany attempts to seal the win. 

For her efforts across the tournament, Mia Borley was named the Tournament's Most Outstanding Player. She was joined on the All-Tournament team by Hana Davis, Poppy Lambert, and Cassandra Mascarenhas. 

The Black Bears will open the NCAA Tournament on Wednesday, Nov. 10 when it travels to take on Miami (Ohio) at 2 p.m.

Poppy Lambert scored the first goal of the game via penalty stroke in the second quarter, and the 1-0 score held into the second half as the Danes offense tried to sneak something by Borley. They finally succeeded early in the third quarter to tie things up, a tie that would last through forty tense game-minutes before both teams wrapped up the second overtime period without finding the sudden-victory goal. 

The Black Bears won it in shootouts, as Mia Borley stopped the final UAlbany attempt and Maine stormed the field in celebration. 

A historic season for the Black Bears gets the feather-in-the-cap it deserved, as Maine became both the first team to host the postseason tournament in Orono and the first Maine team to ever hoist the trophy.