CASTINE, Maine — Junior Averi Baker corralled a pass from senior Natalie Whitten with :23 seconds remaining to give the Husson University women's lacrosse team its first North Atlantic Conference Championship in program history with a 12-11 win over Maine Maritime Academy on the road Saturday evening. 

Husson (7-7) who dropped two regular-season matchups against MMA (12-2) led 6-2 at the first half in Saturday's championship showdown before trailing 10-7 heading into the deciding quarter. 

However, the Eagles didn't go down without a fight, outscoring the Mariners 4-1 to tie the game 11-11 with 4:16 remaining in the quarter. Senior Maddy Benoit scored arguably the biggest goal of her four-year career to tie the game off an assist from junior Gracie Gardner giving the Eagles a chance to make history. 

Senior Emma Beegz came up with a massive save just under a minute later to keep the game tied and was called upon again with :59 seconds remaining and didn't disappoint. Beegz's two late saves and a late Mariners turnover gave Husson the ball. Following a successful clear and a timeout, Whitten found Baker for her fourth goal of the game and the eventual game-winning score with :23 seconds remaining. Following the goal, Benoit collected the ensuing draw control and iced the game. 

Not only did Baker's goal give the Eagles their first overall conference title — Husson has won three East Division championships — but her late goal tied her with women's lacrosse head coach Amanda Deshaies for the most goals in program history with 130. 

Saturday's championship began with an early MMA goal, but Benoit tied the game on a woman-up opportunity and Baker scored the first of her four goals for an early 2-1 edge. 

Beginning the second quarter, the Mariners tied the game at 2-2, but Baker answered with another goal from junior Laela Martinez to give Husson back a 3-2 lead. Whitten scored on a free-position attempt to increase the lead to 4-2, while freshman Kate Boehmcke scored from Martinez to push the advantage to 5-2 and Baker made it a first-half hattrick off a free-position attempt for a 6-2 lead heading into the break. 

Following an eight-goal third quarter and a late goal from Boehmcke, MMA carried a 10-7 advantage into the fourth. 

The Mariners scored just under a minute into the fourth quarter to push their lead to 11-7, but Whitten and back-to-back goals by Benoit pulled within 11-10 of MMA with 7:14 remaining. 

Benoit finished the night with four goals, three of which came in clutch time in the fourth quarter, tying Baker for the team-high for the game, while Boehmcke and Whitten each added two goals and Martinez added a team-high two assists. 

Beegz stood tall in cage, making 14 saves on her way to being crowned tournament most valuable player, while Martinez finished with three caused turnovers and Beegz added four. 

Martinez also scooped up a team-high four ground balls, followed by Beegz who had three and junior Jory Boyd who added three. 

Husson will now find out its next opponent during the NCAA women's lacrosse selection show on Monday at 10:30 a.m.