STANDISH, ME – Saint Joseph's College (7-2, 5-0 NAC) nipped Husson University (7-3, 3-2 NAC), 2-1, in a North Atlantic Conference (NAC) field hockey contest at Lakeside Field on Wednesday afternoon. Senior midfielder Amanda Sebastiao (Uxbridge, Mass.) scored both of the Monks' goals in the important conference conquest.

Sebastiao opened the scoring with her first goal of the season in the 31st minute of play. Eagles netminder Kristen Capen '13 (Leeds, Maine) stopped a shot taken from the right side by TJ Cowin '14 (Newry, Maine), but the visiting keeper could not control the rebound as Sebastiao punched the loose ball into the cage.

The senior made it a 2-0 game in the 44th minute when she scored on a rebound off her own shot. Capen stopped her first attempt, but the ball ricocheted off her shin pad directly to Sebastiao, who belted a one-timer into the back of the cage for her second goal of the contest.

As it turned out, the second goal proved necessary for the hosts as the Eagles went on to make it a 2-1 game with a goal scored eight minutes later. Mariah Arno '14 put Husson on the board when she (Dover-Foxcroft, Maine) beat Monks keeper Meaghan Johnson '12 (Portland, Maine/Cheverus) on a penalty shot attempt at the 55:11 mark.

Husson had several chances to knot the game in the final eight minutes of play, but Johnson was up to the task on two attempts and another pair sailed wide in the closing minutes.

Johnson recorded six saves for St. Joe's while Capen tallied nine stops for Husson. Cowin led all players with five shots and Arno paced the visitors with four attempts. Monks midfielder Theresa Hendrix '14 (Scarborough, Maine/Cheverus) notched the first defensive save of her career in the SJC win.

The Monks held an 18-14 advantage in shots and a 13-12 edge in penalty corners in the victory. St. Joe's was flagged for 97 fouls while Husson was whistled for 62 on the afternoon.

With the win, Saint Joseph's improves to 13-15 in the history of the series with Husson University. The Monks have now defeated the Eagles in four consecutive regular-season meetings, but Husson has topped the Royal Blue in back to back NAC Tournament tilts, including the conference championship at Lakeside Field last fall.

Nine of the last 10 contests between the conference rivals have been decided by one goal.

Sebastiao, who netted just one goal in 16 games as a junior, had never scored more than once in a collegiate contest before today's offensive outburst. Also, the game-clinching goal was her first since netting the winner against Salve Regina on October 11th, 2008.

Saint Joseph's will host Thomas College on Saturday at 1:00 PM while Husson hosts University of Maine-Farmington on Sunday at 1:00 PM.