BIDDEFORD, Maine -- Felicia Wachowiak (Milton, N.H.) accounted for 19.5 points largely behind 14 kills and five solo blocks to lead Saint Joseph's College to a 3-0 women's volleyball decision over the University of New England on Thursday evening (Oct. 29) at the Harold Alfond Forum. Set scores were 25-18, 25-23, and 25-14.
The Monks, who recorded a similar result against the Nor'easters two weeks ago, improve to 24-5 for the second-most victories in a SJC season on-record (27 in 1995). UNE slips to 6-15 on the year.
Victoria Huntley (Ellsworth, Maine) added 10 winners and 14 digs for Saint Joseph's, and Mariah Hebert (Biddeford, Maine) set-up the attack with 28 assists. Abbie McPhee (Epping, N.H.) and Jennelle Thompson (Farmington, N.H.) combined for 27 digs in defensive roles.
Big Blue received a team-high nine kills from Emily Rumery (Wolfeboro, N.H.), with eight more from both Courtney Lambrese (Cranston, R.I.) and Grayson Szczepaniak (Lakewood, Ohio). Lambrese also had 11 digs, supporting the match-best defensive effort by Brittany Morrison (Rosemount, Minn.), who dug up 17. Kristen Falcinelli (Silver Spring, Md.) totaled 25 assists as well as 10 digs.
The Monks used a 7-0 spurt in the opening frame to gain the lead for good (13-6), though UNE notched five in-a-row to get back within two. Wachowiak registered her third block of the set as well as a kill in a stretch of four points that pushed the advantage to 18-12 on the way an edge on the scoreboard.
Eight ties highlighted the second stanza, with SJC establishing a lead of as many as four on a pair of instances (10-6, 18-14). Rumery put down two kills to keep the Nor'easters close, and Lambrese, who tallied all of her kills in the set, added three more down the stretch only to have Jordynne Copp (Cumberland, Maine) end it for the visitors. Wachowiak posted seven of her own kills in the session.
The third was never in question for the Monks, who jumped out to a 9-1 cushion. UNE could only get back as close as five (12-7).
Saint Joseph's returns home to face Simmons College and Maine Maritime Academy on Saturday. The Nor'easters (3-4 CCC) wrap up the regular-season that same day (1 p.m.), entertaining Roger Williams University (7-0 CCC).
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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 474-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.
