NORFOLK, Va. — On the strength of a Rachel Kennedy goal early in the second half, and a suffocating defensive effort, the Bowdoin College field hockey claimed its fourth NCAA Division III title in the last seven years with a 1-0 win over Salisbury on Sunday.

The Polar Bears, who last claimed the title when this year’s seniors were first-years in 2010, finished the season with an 18-3 mark. Bowdoin also claimed the national title in 2007 and ’08 and improved to 4-0 all-time in NCAA Championship games. The Sea Gulls finished their year with a record of 17-4 and lost their first-ever national title match after entering Sunday’s contest with a perfect 5-0 mark in finals.

Katie Riley, Rachel Kennedy and Mettler Growney all earned All- Tournament honors for their performances in the Final Four, while senior midfielder Olivia King was named Tournament MVP.

Bowdoin’s first real scoring opportunity came 10 minutes into the opening half as Emily Simonton received a cross on the right post and deflected the ball just wide.

Salisbury worked the ball back down the field a few minutes later, forcing Bowdoin’s Hannah Gartner to drop into a split to close up space on the post.

The Polar Bears recovered quickly, charging right back down the field before Adrienne O’Donnell slipped a reverse stick sweep just wide of Salisbury’s cage.

Bowdoin continued to pressure the Sea Gulls’ defense, earning the first corner of the game with under 10 minutes remaining in the half. Following the insert, Colleen Finnerty’s straight shot from the top missed just wide left, eluding Katie Riley on the post.

Bowdoin earned another corner in the fourth minute, but Salisbury’s Amanda Cooper came up with the defensive save on the right side to keep the game scoreless.

With the final seconds of the half rolling off clock, Salisbury looked to score as the ball came rolling in on Gartner, who dropped to cover more area. Bowdoin’s Molly Paduda stepped up from the right post to clear the ball as time expired.

Bowdoin wasted little time in the second half, solving the Salisbury defense just 1:51 into the frame. Finnerty carried the ball from the backfield up the left sideline and got off a quick shot from just inside the circle. Salisbury’s Rachel Clewer stopped the ball, but left the rebound loose in front of the net where Kennedy was able to step in and connect with the right corner of the cage to put Bowdoin on top, 1-0.

Salisbury responded with pressure, working down the field and earning a corner. A straight shot from the top of the circle bounced up and off the body of a Salisbury player across the goal line, before Finnerty batted it back out. Initially ruled a goal, the referees retracted the call and awarded Salisbury another corner. The Sea Gulls sent the ball across the circle on their next possession, but Yumi Kim missed the pass and open net, allowing Gartner time to recover and close off the angle before Hannah Miller was able to get off a shot.

Bowdoin was forced to play without both Growney and King after the pair earned five minute yellow cards within a 50-second span. Salisbury’s last serious scoring threat came at 12:35 as Bowdoin allowed another Sea Gulls’ pass to skip across the circle untouched. The Polar Bears were able to maintain possession over the final two minutes of play and secure the national title.

Bowdoin has now won 20 of its last 22 NCAA Tournament matches dating back to 2007. The Polar Bears have also won 47 consecutive matches against non-NESCAC opponents over the last seven seasons.

Bowdoin 4-1

On Friday, Bowdoin advanced to its fourth National Championship in seven seasons with a win over Christopher Newport.

Leading scorers Kennedy and Katie Riley each scored twice to lead the Polar Bears over the Captains (21-2).

Entering Friday’s game, Christopher Newport was third in the NCAA with a 0.71 goals-against average and 11 shutouts. The four goals surrendered by the Captains were a season-high.

Christopher Newport took control of the game with a goal just 4:16 in. Lauren Cheatham onetimed a cross pass into the left corner, giving the Captains an early 1- 0 lead.

Bowdoin answered just 15 seconds later, as Riley popped the ball over goaltender Bailey Lien.

Bowdoin took a 2-1 lead with under five minutes remaining in the half on another goal from Riley.

Riley looked for her third of the game with less than a minute to play in the half as she dribbled down the right side and rifled off a shot. Lien caught the ball on the inside of her pads and the ball deflected out of bounds as time wound down.

The Captains came out strong in the opening minutes of the second half. Seven minutes into the frame, Christopher Newport earned a corner after sustained pressure in the Polar Bears’ circle. Kicking the ball right after a clean insert, the Captains looked to score on an opposite post shot that eluded Bowdoin’s defensive corner unit. Gartner made a diving save to her right and stayed on the ground.

A second corner was called in favor of the Captains, but the insert was mishandled and cleared into the midfield.

The mis-step gave Bowdoin the momentum shift the Bears needed to regain possession and transition. With 11:31 off the clock, Kennedy scored her first of the game and provided the Polar Bears a bit of breathing room and a 3-1 lead. Olivia King’s initial drive from the top of the circle was denied by Lien, but Kennedy recovered the rebound and buried Bowdoin’s third goal of the game.

Kennedy rounded out the scoring with less than two minutes remaining as she spun around a defender and got off a quick shot.

Bowdoin held a 14-6 edge in shots and 8-4 corner advantage. Lien finished with six saves for the Captains, while Gartner had a pair for Bowdoin.