BANGOR, ME – Saint Joseph's College improved to 2-0 on the season with a 1-0 victory over Maine Maritime Academy (0-2-0) in the final day of the 9th Annual Husson University Classic on Sunday.
Despite owning a decided 23-2 advantage in shots, the Monks were unable to hit pay dirt until the 83rd minute. Senior forward Lauren Chouinard (Gorham, Maine) was sprung free on a breakaway with a pass from freshman midfielder Desiree Parent (Westborough, Mass.) and buried the game's only goal at the 82:02 mark, providing the Monks with their second 1-0 victory in as many days.
Senior goalkeeper Jaci Lorenzen (Windham, Maine) went untested but was credited with her second shutout of the season. The four-year starter now has 20 career shutouts and is currently tied with Katye Mayo '10 with the third-most goose-egg efforts in program history. Saint Joseph's hall of famer Kendra Brown '01 owns the shutout record with 33 over four seasons.
Maine Maritime keeper Taylor O'Malley (Middleton, R.I.) was solid in goal and made seven stops in a losing effort.
Chouinard and sophomore Hannah LeBlanc (Andover, Mass.) both tallied four shots for Saint Joseph's while Ashley Beaulieu (Gorham, Maine), Jessica Capozzi (Saugus, Mass.), Whitney White (Salem, N.H.) and Kim Jordan (Bangor, Maine) all steered a pair of shots on net in the victory.
Following the completion of the invitational, three SJC players were named to the All-Tournament Team. Chouinard, Beaulieu and sophomore defender Leanne Comeau (Watertown, Mass.) claimed the honor for St. Joe's while Western New England's Amanda Waluszko, Bonnie Bousquet, Becca Mercieri and Briana Kubik, Husson's Erin Boulier and Marcy Francoeur and O'Malley from Maine Maritime also earned mention.
With the victory, Saint Joseph's improves to 9-0-1 in the history of the series with Maine Maritime Academy and has now defeated in the Mariners in six-consecutive meetings dating back to the 2004 campaign. Prior to this morning, the in-state rivals had not met on the pitch since 2008 when the Monks recorded a 4-2 triumph at Westerlea Way Field.
With a 2-0 record and both wins coming by way of shutout this fall, Saint Joseph's has now opened the year with back-to-back shutouts in consecutive seasons and the third time in the last four years.
The Monks return to action on Wednesday when the team travels to Biddeford for a non-conference match versus University of New England. The contest against the Nor'easters, a side the Monks have not faced since 1998, is slated to kick off at 4:00 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.