Wheaton (Illinois) won its first Division III Women's Soccer Championship with a penalty-kick decision over Puget Sound November 27 at Macpherson Stadium in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Freshman Bethany Barton scored the match-winning penalty kick after the two teams -- both vying for their first title -- battled to a 1-1 tie after 90 minutes of regulation play and two 10-minute overtime periods.

"I just tried to get it in the net," Barton said of the deciding kick. "We practice penalties, so were prepared."

The Thunder made five penalty kicks to the Loggers' four.

Puget Sound scored a first-half goal when Elizabeth Pitman headed in an assist from Cortney Kjar. It was the first time Wheaton had trailed in regulation play during the season.

The Thunder tied the game in the second half on Mary Doleshal's fifth goal of the year.

Each team managed 15 shots in the game.

"It's a hard way to win or lose a game," Wheaton head coach Pete Felske said of the penalty-kick tiebreaker system that college soccer has employed for many years. "We've lost the last two years on PKs, so we know how Puget Sound feels."

"That was obviously an evenly matched, great game," said Puget Sound head coach Randy Hanson. "It's disappointing not to win the championship, but that doesn't diminish the season we had. This was the single-best season of Puget Sound soccer. We broke just about every school record and we'll have great memories from the experience."

The Loggers finished the season 22-2, while Wheaton completed a 24-1 slate.

Wheaton goalkeeper Brita Nelson notched three saves in the second half and the two overtimes. Ashley Vratil played the first half and had one save, then returned for the penalty kicks. Erin Williams compiled four saves for Puget Sound.

"We usually attack wide and at the end line, but they did a good job of stopping us there," said Puget Sound's Kjar. "We each had opportunities in the game."

Wheaton survived a semifinal match against against its Massachusetts rival with the same name. The Thunder posted a 3-1 win over Wheaton (Massachusetts) on the strength of second-half goals by Ashley Wiersma, Jen Binger and Sara Johnson.

Puget Sound blanked Messiah, 3-0, to advance to the championship match. Bridget Stolee scored twice, including a tally just 41 seconds into the contest.

Sectionals

Wheaton (Mass.) 2, Middlebury 1; Oneonta St. 2, Hamilton 1; Wheaton (Mass.) 3, Oneonta St. 0; Chris. Newport 1, Lynchburg 0; Wheaton (Ill.) 3, Chicago 0; Wheaton (Ill.) 4, Chris. Newport 0; Messiah 1, TCNJ 0; Mary Washington 0, Ohio Wesleyan 0 (2 ot) (Mary Washington advances on penalty kicks, 9-8); Messiah 3, Mary Washington 0; Washington-St. Louis 0, Macalester 0 (2 ot) (Washington-St. Louis advances on penalty kicks, 5-4); Puget Sound 2, Hardin-Simmons 0; Puget Sound 3, Washington-St. Louis 0.

Semifinals

First half: PS -- Bridget Stolee (Katie Wullbrandt), 0:41; PS -- Adrienne Folsom (Cortney Kjar), 25:54; PS -- Stolee (Elizabeth Pitman), 30:46.

Shots: Puget Sound 9, Messiah 13. Goalkeeper saves: Puget Sound (Erin Williams 8), Messiah (Cassie Grose 1). Corner kicks: Puget Sound 5, Messiah 4.

Second half: W (Ill.) -- Ashley Wiersma (unassisted), 55:12; W (Ill.) -- Jen Binger (Mary Doleshal), 57:55; W (Mass.) -- Lauren Konopka (Jordan Pouliot), 63:38; W (Ill.) -- Sara Johnson (Jessica Elsen), 88:46.

Shots: Wheaton (Ill.) 20, Wheaton (Mass.) 12. Goalkeeper saves: Wheaton (Ill.) (Brita Nelson 1, Ashley Vratil 4) 5, Wheaton (Mass.) (Stacey Kronenberg) 7. Corner kicks: Wheaton (Ill.) 6, Wheaton (Mass.) 2.

Championship game

First half: PS -- Elizabeth Pitman (Cortney Kjar), 35:42.

Second half: W -- Mary Doleshal (Ashley Wiersma, Sara Johnson), 60:53.

Shots: Puget Sound 15, Wheaton (Ill.) 15. Goalkeeper saves: Puget Sound (Erin Williams) 4, Wheaton (Ill.) (Ashley Vratil 1, Brita Nelson 3) 4. Corner kicks: Puget Sound 3, Wheaton (Ill.) 6.