WICHITA FALLS, Texas - It may have taken three minutes extra to do it, but the Mavericks completed a seven-year journey by winning their first national soccer championship Saturday afternoon at the Midwestern State University Soccer Field.

Sophomore forward Brandie Beale blasted a high shot over the goalkeeper and into the back of the net 3:03 into overtime to defeat Seattle Pacific, 2-1, handing the Falcons their first loss of the year.

UNO NCAA Tournament Web Site

It was the Mavs' fourth straight trip to the final four and their second national title match. The Mavs are now 13-3-1 all-time in the NCAA tournament with one runner-up and two third-place trophies.

"This has been four years coming for us," said head coach Don Klosterman after his team battled back from a 1-0 deficit for the second straight game. "These guys don't quit. They've shown it every single game."

Klosterman started the Maverick soccer program seven years ago and has seen his team fall in the final four each of the last three years.

After falling behind early from a SPU goal at 7:24 from Megan Lienhard, junior midfielder Amber Richardson lofted a shot up and through the wind from about 30 yards out. Falcon goalkeeper Jennifer Burns got a hand up and on the ball, but it bounced off her finger tips, onto the crossbar and came down for the game-tying goal.

"With the wind, you just have to shoot the ball and take a chance," said Richardson, an all-tournament team member who finished the season with seven goals.

After tying the game, the Mavs were able to control the flow for most of the first half. The Mavs had a 9-3 advantage on shots in the opening period and were able to battle off Seattle Pacific's chances. With 20 minutes remaining before intermission, freshman defender Whitney Telschaw headed one of SPU's eight corner kicks out of the box that was headed for the goal.

In the second half the Mavs weren't able to create the same chances and SPU was able to a put pressure on UNO. Late in regulation Klosterman pulled one of his three forwards back into the midfield to try and create chances.

"We thought we needed a little more help in the midfield," said Klosterman. "It seemed to give us some more support and we were able to win some balls."

The shift gave the Mavs a big opportunity to win the game before the first 90 minutes ran out. With seven remaining, Beale took the ball through the box and shot it into the hands of a diving Burns.

Beale got another chance just three minutes into the Mavs' first and only overtime of the year. Freshman midfielder Tara Wegehaupt threw the ball in near midfield to Richardson. The junior sent the ball forward to Beale who fired it in for her fifth game-winner and 13th goal of the year. She was named the offensive MVP of the tournament after she finished with nine points.

Senior goalkeeper Amy Price, who made five saves, including a diving one with 10:40 left in regulation, was named the tournament's defensive MVP. Senior defender Meghan Pile, freshman forward Amanda Iwansky, McGill and Richardson were also named to the all-tournament team.

The Mavericks tied two NCAA postseason tournament records along the way to their national title. Iwansky, who had a hat trick in the opening round game against North Dakota, scored seven goals in the NCAA tournament to tie the record. Beale's five assists also tied a tournament record. She helped out on three goals in the tournament opener. The Mavericks became the first NCAA team from Nebraska or the North Central Conference to win a women's or men's soccer national title.

Price, Pile, defender Becca Fritz and midfielder Christen Boeckel all graduate with the championship trophy after playing in all four final fours for the Mavs.

""It's awesome," said Pile. "It's the only way to go out."