Ursinus may have entered this year’s Division III Field Hockey Championship as the tournament’s lowest seed (No. 8), but the Bears emerged as national champions after edging Messiah, 3-2, to claim the program’s first crown.

Junior forward Lindsay Cappa contributed two goals and an assist for Ursinus in the November 18 title match-up at William Smith’s McCooey Field.

Messiah, also seeking its first championship, opened the scoring early when Tiffany Leatherman buried a feed from Lisa Strausbaugh six minutes into play. Less than two minutes later, Cappa evened the score for the Bears by banging home a deflection off a defender’s stick to tally her 11th goal on the season. Later in the half, Ursinus took a one-goal lead after Cappa’s second shot of the game bounced off the pads of Messiah goalie Ashley Mowery and into the net. The Falcons tied the match in the 29th minute when junior forward Lindsey Hunter tallied her team-leading 19th goal of the season on a penalty corner with an assist from Lindsey Garber.

With just over 19 minutes left in regulation, Cappa sent a pass across the face of the net. Senior forward Molly Stevens picked up the feed and buried her fourth goal on the season. A stick save by Ursinus netminder Jess Lamina in the 55th minute and strong defense in the final seconds protected the slim margin to secure the Bears’ victory. Lamina finish with two saves, while Messiah’s Mowery recorded seven, including six in the second half. The Bears outshot the Falcons, 16-9.

Messiah, which closed out the season at 18-4, advanced to its sixth title-game appearance with a 1-0 win over Bowdoin. Ursinus beat Lebanon Valley, 3-2, in semifinal action and finished the year with a record of 21-3.

Joining Ursinus’ Cappa, Lamina, Allison Doutt and Karen Wendler on this year’s all tournament team was Hunter, Mary Hoover and Emily Sauder of Messiah.

Ursinus 1 2 — 3

Lebanon Valley 1 1 — 2

First half: U — Karen Wendler (Kait Sutherland), 10:26; LV — Shauna Enck (Mimi Sullivan), 29:03

Second half: U — Wendler (unassisted), 43:58; U — Lindsay Cappa (Sutherland), 55:56; LV — Sullivan (unassisted), 67:53.

Shots: Lebanon Valley 8, Ursinus 21. Saves: Lebanon Valley (Katie Pawlewicz) 8, Ursinus (Jess Lamina) 3. Penalty corners: Lebanon Valley 5. Ursinus 16.

Messiah 0 1 — 1

Bowdoin College 0 0 — 0

Second half: M — Lindsey Hunter (Lisa Strausbaugh), 39:45

Shots: Messiah 6, Bowdoin 23. Saves: Messiah (Ashley Mowery) 14, Bowdoin (Kate Leonard) 3. Penalty corners: Messiah 5, Bowdoin 10.

Ursinus 2 1 — 3

Messiah 2 0 — 2

First half: M — Tiffany Leatherman (Lisa Strausbaugh), 6:21; U — Lindsey Cappa (unassisted), 7:53; U — Cappa (unassisted), 17:25; M — Lindsey Hunter (Lindsey Garber), 28:55.

Second half: U — Molly Stevens (Cappa), 50:44.

Shots: Messiah 9, Ursinus 16. Goalkeeper saves: Messiah (Ashley Mowery) 7, Ursinus (Jess Lamina) 2. Penalty corners: Messiah 6, Ursinus 4.