STANDISH, Maine – Saint Joseph's College (8-19, 2-7 GNAC) recorded a 3-0 (25-17, 25-11, 25-23) victory over Husson University (8-20, 2-2 NAC) in a non-conference volleyball match at the Harold Alfond Center on Tuesday night. Junior Abbie McPhee (Epping, N.H.) notched a double-double with 18 assists and 14 digs in the triumph.
Tonight's match served as the Monks' annual "Dig Pink" initiative, a national event held every October - Breast Cancer Awareness Month – by the Side-Out Foundation. "Dig Pink" is hosted each year by middle school, high school, and collegiate teams across the nation to help increase awareness and raise donations in support of breast cancer research. Earlier this season, Husson held a "Dig Purple" event in an effort to support those afflicted with pancreatic cancer and SJC organizers decided it would be best to contribute to both causes. As a result, fans in attendance tonight were asked to pay a $2 entrance fee and donations were also taken at the door, with all proceeds being contributed to the Cancer Community Center in South Portland.
Saint Joseph's rarely trailed in tonight's triumph as the hosts opened the first set with five unanswered points, a stretch that included a pair of McPhee service aces. The Eagles threatened and trailed by three, 10-7, several rotations later, but the Monks proceeded to put the set out of reach with six straight points – with two aces from Felicia Wachowiak (Milton, Mass.) – en route to securing the 25-17 set victory.
St. Joe's fell behind early in the second set, but claimed momentum with a 12-4 run, as freshman Jordynne Copp (Cumberland, Maine) notched three kills in helping the hosts take a 12-6 lead. Husson was never in the hunt in the second set and, trailing 18-11, fell victim to seven consecutive SJC points – including five Eagle errors – with junior Cassie Leech (Middleborough, Mass.) closing out the stanza with an ace to lift the Royal Blue to a 2-0 match lead.
The third set was the most competitive frame of the evening. Trailing by a 12-8 margin midway through play, the Eagles rattled off five straight points and, with the help of two Alexandra deHertogh (Cumberland, R.I.) blocks, held a lead for just the second time all night. A trio of lead changes followed, but the Monks employed a pair of rejections during a 5-0 surge and clung to at least a share of the lead for the rest of the set, which was capped with a Wachowiak kill off a McPhee assist.
For the Monks, Wachowiak recorded match-highs of nine kills and four total blocks (three solo) while posting a solid .238 attack percentage, sophomore Shadai Gosselin (Somersworth, N.H.) registered six kills and 10 digs, and Copp added four kills in 15 total attempts. Leech chipped in with three kills, three aces and five digs while junior Alli Hollander (Thermal, Calif.) contributed a pair of kills, four assists, six digs and two total blocks in the victory and junior Sam Wright (Westport, Mass.) chimed in with a match-high 20 digs.
For the Eagles, sophomore Kristen Atwood (Cumberland, Maine) totaled six kills and eight digs, freshman Kaitlyn Carl (East Machias, Maine) posted six kills and three aces, and freshman Sarah Wilson (Dover, N.H.) notched a team-best 15 digs in a losing effort.
With the victory, Saint Joseph's improves to 17-9 versus Husson University (since 1989) and has now defeated the Eagles in 11 straight meetings dating back to the 2009 season.
Saint Joseph's will host Lasell College (11:00 AM) and Anna Maria College (3:00 PM) in a conference tri-match on Saturday.
Both teams return to action with conference tri-matches at home this Saturday, when Saint Joseph's plays Lasell College at 11:00 AM and Anna Maria College at 3:00 PM. Husson faces Maine Maritime at 11:00 AM and Green Mountain College at 3:00 PM on Saturday.
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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.
