PORTLAND, ME – Saint Joseph's (4-5, 4-0 GNAC) edged Johnson & Wales University (5-6, 2-3 GNAC), 10-7, in a GNAC women's lacrosse contest at Deering Memorial Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Senior Cassie Diplock (Augusta, Maine) scored a game-high six goals in what was the Monks' third-consecutive victory.
The first half featured plenty of back and forth action as the conference rivals netted 12 goals on 303 total shots in the opening frame. Trailing 5-4 after JWU freshman Kayla Smith (Eastham, Mass.) scored a man-up goal with 8:08 before the break, the Monks went on to score three unanswered markers to secure a 7-5 lead going into halftime.
Diplock, who potted two of the markers over the final minute of the half, dodged several defenders on a lengthy run and capped the impressive effort by netting her team's seventh goal with 11 seconds left in the first frame.
Smith scored her second of the afternoon 10:45 into the second stanza to make it a 7-6 game and Diplock responded just over five minutes later to help the hosts regain a two-goal cushion.
With much of the action occurring in the Wildcats' defensive end, the visitors took advantage of their few opportunities and managed to score on both of their second-half shots, as sophomore Anna Oshiro (Gloucester, Mass.) made it a one-goal game once again with a marker at the 9:24 mark.
Looking to gain some much-needed breathing room, Diplock answered the call with her second free-position goal of the day with 4:42 left. Sophomore Kat Gadbois (Scarborough, Maine) put the game out of reach at the 1:45 mark with her 11th goal of the season, accounting for the 10-7 final.
For the Monks, Jackie Wilson (Tiverton, R.I.) scored a goal with two assists, Lizzie Calnan (Westport, Mass.) tallied a goal and an assist with six draw controls and three ground balls and Rachelle Messuri (Atkinson, N.H.) produced seven ground balls and six caused turnovers in the triumph.
For the Wildcats, Lydia Knapp (Glen Falls, N.Y.) potted a pair of markers with three assists, Jessica Schmell (Coopersburg, Pa.) contributed a goal and an assist and Natalie Dicocco (Media, Pa.) scored and posted five ground balls and three caused turnovers in the losing effort.
Seniors Haley Nason (Saco, Maine) and Elizabeth Giacchino (Melrose, Mass.) split the game in goal for the Monks, with the former picking up the win after making three saves in the first half.
Junior goalie Genevieve Giampietro (Meriden, Conn.) played well for the Wildcats and made 15 saves in the conference setback.
Today's meeting counts as the first-ever for Saint Joseph's and Johnson & Wales, which is in its first season as an NCAA DIII varsity program.
Saint Joseph's will host non-conference foe Maine-Farmington on Monday in an 8:00 PM start at Scarborough High School. Johnson & Wales plays at Albertus Magnus College on Tuesday in a GNAC contest slated to start at 4:00 PM.
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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 430-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.
