After 90 minutes of regulation and 30 minutes of overtime, the Yankee Small College Conference women’s soccer championship game remained scoreless.

NHTI had generated 10 shots on goal but had yet to see one reach the back of the net. Paul Smith’s College also had an opportunity early in the second half, but a diving save by NHTI’s Hailey Knight of Manchester erased their only chance of regulation.

This meant the game would head to the ultimate test of nerves: penalty kicks. Eleven games, over 1,000 minutes of soccer, and the entire season up to this point ultimately rested on which team could execute better over the next couple of minutes.

The Lynx did, winning the five-round tiebreaker, 4-3, following the scoreless draw in Pottersville, N.Y., on Sunday.

Kaiya Richard of Claremont had the unenviable position of being the first player to attempt a penalty. Richard calmly stepped to the spot, 12 yards away from Paul Smith’s Peyton Hoffman, who had already made 10 saves. Richard struck the ball into the bottom right corner, marking the first time in the game that the ball had found its home in the goal.

With the pressure now off of NHTI, the tension shifted to the shoulders of Hayleigh Gates. She wasted no time, dashing to the ball and burying a shot into the bottom corner of the net.

Adrienne Dorr of Pembroke, the leading goal-scorer this season for the Lynx, found an immediate answer as her left-footed strike sailed into the left side of the goal.

Being a goalie is one of the toughest positions in sports, where any small mistake can have a massive impact on an already close game. Perhaps the greatest test for a goalie is a penalty shootout. For Knight, this was a huge moment; even one save could be the difference between a championship trophy and a 3½-hour ride home in silence. As she stood on the goal line, her team up 2-1 in the shootout, she knew the importance of this next play.

Knight leaned to her right, anticipating a shot in that direction. As the ball was struck, she realized that she had guessed right. The shot, while well-struck, never had a chance as Knight erased it and sent it wide.

The lead for NHTI was short-lived, as its next chance hit the crossbar, bounced agonizingly short of the goal line and out. Paul Smith’s took advantage, as Haven Brandt drew the shootout back even. Maggie Brown of Manchester put the Lynx back in front. Knight was able to get a fingertip on the shot by Pailin Hample, but the shot was too well-placed, and the shootout was even once again.

As if the pressure wasn’t enough, the shootout now reached sudden-death territory. If NHTI scored, it had a chance to win with a save or a missed PK; if it missed, the Bobcats could win it with one more good strike.

NHTI rested its chances on the shoulders of sophomore Eva LaValley of Deering. LaValley calmly stepped to the spot and buried a shot to put NHTI on the cusp of a title.

Knight was once again called upon; a save, and the celebration would begin for the Lynx. She set herself and prepared to dive to her left, but she quickly realized that the ball was going the opposite way. She could only watch as the ball sailed toward the right crossbar. As everyone held their breath, the ball moved past the crossbar but wide of the goal to secure the YSCC championship.

For the seventh time in league history, NHTI won the championship. The Lynx ended their conference schedule at 6-0-2, outscoring their opponents by a 25-3 margin. In addition to the championship game, the conference also announced the All-Conference teams, where four players found themselves recognized.

Piper Flood of Alton was a terrific offensive player who had seven goals, four assists and 18 points on the season. Dorr, a team captain, had eight goals, two assists and 18 points.

Tyler Harrington, another team captain, was a verbal leader and a player who filled multiple positions based on who was on the field. Kimberly Nadeau of Henniker was an honorable mention for the All-Conference team and was the leader of the defense, which posted seven shutouts on the year.

NHTI will now await the USCAA selection show to see where it will be ranked nationally and who their next opponent will be.