PORTLAND, ME – Saint Joseph's College (10-5, 6-2 GNAC) secured a 19-12 victory over University of Saint Joseph (Conn.) in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) women's lacrosse action at Deering Memorial Stadium on Wednesday afternoon.
Saint Joseph's led for the entire contest and built a 10-2 cushion with the help of a Victoria Tenenbaum (Brunswick, Maine/McAuley) free-position goal with 4:56 remaining in the first half. University of Saint Joseph responded with three unanswered markers during a two-minute span to cut the Monks' advantage down to 10-5 with 2:24 before the break. But the visitors would get no closer to the lead as the hosts answered with a trio of tallies in a matter of 52 seconds and carried a 13-5 cushion going into intermission.
Ten different players scored for Saint Joseph's as junior midfielder Anneka Adame (San Diego, Calif.) led the attack with four goals and added four draw controls in the victory. Sophomore Kirstin McCombs (Lewiston, Maine) registered three goals, two assists, a game-high eight ground balls and four draw controls and Tenenbaum potted three markers for the hosts. Junior Cassie Diplock (Augusta, Maine) added two goals and a pair of assists and freshman Kat Gadbois (Scarborough, Maine) produced an all-around effort with two goals, seven ground balls, five draw controls and a SJC single-game record seven caused turnovers.
Junior Macy Pagurko (Augusta, Maine) and freshman Emily Gallant (Rumford, Maine) chipped in with a goal and an assist apiece while Lizzie Calnan (Westport, Mass.), Lauren Bailey (Hampton, N.H./St. Thomas Aquinas) and Mary Leasure (South Portland, Maine/McAuley) all scored in the Monks' victory.
In net, Saint Joseph's junior Haley Nason (Saco, Maine) earned the victory after allowing five goals with six saves in the first 30 minute of play. Junior Elizabeth Giacchino (Melrose, Mass.) made six stops and allowed seven scores in the second stanza.
For the Blue Jays, Erika Leitao (Southington, Conn.) netted three goals with two assists and seven ground balls, Dayna Gambino (Newington, Conn.) recorded a hat trick with five ground balls, four draw controls and two caused turnovers and Francesca Mastria (Higganum, Conn.) added two tallies, five ground balls and five draw controls in a losing effort.
University of Saint Joseph sophomore keeper Brianna Tenore (Rocky Hill, Conn.) recorded 11 saves on the afternoon.
With the victory, Saint Joseph's improves to 6-0 in the history of the series with University of Saint Joseph. Also, the win gives the Monks 10 wins on the season and marks the second time in the six-year history of the program that the team reached double digits in victories. The first such occasion occurred in 2010 when the Royal Blue went 10-4-1 overall under the watch of former Head Coach Anna Gordon.
Prior to the opening face-off, a brief ceremony was held to honor Bailey, the Monks' lone senior. A four-year team member, Bailey is one of the team's true leaders and fittingly was selected as one of the Monks' tri-captains prior to the non-traditional season in the fall. In four years, she has played in 34 games with five goals, 18 ground balls, three caused turnovers and a pair of draw controls.
Saint Joseph's closes out the regular-season on Saturday with a 2:00 PM game at Norwich University. University of Saint Joseph plays at Lasell College on Saturday at 2:00 PM.
Saint Joseph's College is Maine's only Catholic liberal arts college, providing a supportive, personalized and career-focused education for more than 100 years. From its 350-acre campus on the shores of Sebago Lake, the College offers more than 40 undergraduate programs to a population of approximately 1,000 students. Saint Joseph's College Online provides certificates, undergraduate and advanced degrees for working adults through an online learning program. For more, visit www.sjcme.edu.