GORHAM, ME – Saint Joseph’s College freshman Michael Caron (Gorham, Maine) claimed medalist honors in his first collegiate event and senior Kevin Richardson (Coventry, Conn.) finished as the runner-up, but it was not enough as University of Southern Maine edged the Monks, 303-310, in season-opening golf action at the Gorham Country Club on Friday.

Unfortunately for the Royal Blue, the top-two billing was overshadowed by a dominant team effort by the Huskies, who had eight players with sub-80 scores en route to securing a seven point victory. Tom Murray (Bangor, Maine) shot a 74 while AJ Simokaitis (Falmouth, Maine), Brad Meyers (Buxton, Maine) and Cooper Nadeau (Portland, Maine) all handed in a 76 card for Southern Maine at the end of the day.

Today’s one-two punch of Caron and Richardson is the first Monks duo to post sub-73 scores in the same event since Matt Cotreau ’10 and Chris Deroche ’08 finished as the medalist and runner-up with 69 and 71 cards, respectively, in the UNE Invitational at Cape Arundel Golf Club on September 27th, 2007. Coincidentally, the effort by Cotreau and Deroche nearly six years ago was the last time a pair of SJC golfers placed in the top two at an event.

Caron, who shot a 72 to edge Richardson’s 73, is the only Saint Joseph’s freshman linker to medal in his inaugural NCAA event over the last 14 seasons. He is also the first SJC golfer to post a top finish since Richardson won in head-to-head action versus the Huskies on September 1st, 2011. Caron’s card marks the 14th time a St. Joe’s player has posted a 72 or lower in the last 14 years.

The 310 team score counts as the Monks’ lowest since the team posted a 300 card en route to winning the UNE Invitational in 2007.

For the Monks, senior Colin Finn (North Easton, Mass.) shot a career-low 82, sophomore Ryan Berard (Millville, Mass.) tallied an 83 and junior David Kapelson (Litchfield, N.H.) added a career-best 87. First-years John Marcous (Turner, Maine) (92) and Andrew Berg (Fryeburg, Maine) (96) also participated in their first collegiate event for Saint Joseph’s.

St. Joe’s will compete in the Bowdoin College Invitational at Brunswick Golf Club next Saturday and Sunday.

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.