STANDISH, Maine – Saint Joseph's College (4-4-0) edged Thomas College (3-4-0), 1-0, in a non-conference women's soccer match at Westerlea Way Field on Wednesday afternoon. Freshman midfielder Angela Valenti (Litchfield, N.H.) lifted the Monks to their third-consecutive victory when she netted her first NCAA goal off a Stacy Anuszewski (Clarksboro, N.J.) in the 77th minute.
Saint Joseph's tallied 36 shots, including 21 on goal, but could not hit pay dirt until the 76:06 mark when Valenti received a pass from Anuszewski in the middle, made a move past a Thomas defender, and buried a kick into the bottom right corner.
The score spoiled what was otherwise a fantastic effort by Terriers sophomore goalkeeper Paige Leary (Palermo, Maine), who made a career-high 20 saves in a losing effort. The save total is the most by an SJC opponent since Simmons College keeper Briana Hayes (Manorville, N.Y.) tallied the same amount in a Monks' 1-0 double-overtime victory in Boston on October 19th, 2013.
For Saint Joseph's, today's shots total is the most since a 40-shot performance in a 6-0 win over Maine-Presque Isle on September 29th, 2013.
Coming off a 13-0 blowout victory over Daniel Webster College on Saturday, the Terriers managed just four shots, with three on target, versus the Monks. Saint Joseph's netminder Brooke Troup (East Bridgewater, Mass.) stopped all three attempts to post her second-consecutive shutout. The rookie keeper has yet to allow a goal in five collegiate games and 315 total minutes this fall.
Sophomore midfielder Desiree Parent (Westborough, Mass.) led the Monks with eight shots, including five on goal, while junior midfielder Hannah LeBlanc (Andover, Mass.) added six shots with three on target in the victory. For Anuszewski, the assist counts as the first of her NCAA career.
With the victory, Saint Joseph's improves to 34-6 in the history of the series with Thomas College, a team the Monks have now defeated in 19-straight meetings dating back to the 1997 campaign.
Both sides resume play this Saturday when Saint Joseph's hosts GNAC-rival Simmons College at 1:00 PM and Thomas travels to Johnson State for a 3:30 PM NAC contest.
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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.
