STANDISH, ME – Saint Joseph's College (10-3, 2-0 GNAC) defeated University of Saint Joseph (Conn.) (7-8, 0-2 GNAC), 64-51, in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) women's basketball action at the Harold AlfondHarold Alfond Center on Saturday afternoon. Sophomore center Morgan Cahill (Yarmouth, Maine) scored 15 points and pulled down eight rebounds in the victory.
A sluggish first half saw the conference counterparts shoot a combined 29% (20-55) from the floor as the Monks carried a 24-16 lead into intermission. Both teams played significantly better in the second stanza, but the hosts pulled away with a 10-3 run over the first five minutes of the latter half to claim a 34-19 cushion. The Royal Blue went on to lead by double digits for the vast majority of play.
For the Monks, senior forward Abby Young (North Yarmouth, Maine) registered 12 points and eight rebounds, senior forward Lindsay Moore (Barrington, N.H.) posted eight points, eight caroms and five assists, senior point guard Mackenzie Dufour (Augusta, Maine) added seven points, three assists, three boards and a pair of steals and junior Sarah Assante (Standish, Maine) and freshman Abbie Eastman (Norway, Maine) contributed seven points apiece on the afternoon.
For the Blue Jays, senior guard Devon Diliberto (Waterbury, Conn.) netted 15 points and was 3-4 from three-point distance, sophomore guard Stephanie DeJesus (Meriden, Conn.) added 11 points, junior forward Heather Framski (Prospect, Conn.) tallied seven points, 10 rebounds, four steals and three assists and junior forward Lindsey Dionne (Portland, Conn.) chipped in with eight points in a losing effort.
Saint Joseph's never trailed in the GNAC matchup, but was unable to pull away during the uneven opening period. The Monks notched their first double-digit lead (15-5) of the contest when Young hit a jumper with 9:23 left. The pace of the game hit a standstill over the following four-plus minutes, as the Blue Jays posted a 6-0 run with the help of four free throws to cut their deficit down to 15-11 with 5:10 before the break.
Leading 17-14 nearly two minutes later, the hosts closed out the first half with a 7-2 run and carried a 24-16 lead into halftime.
Saint Joseph's held a 39-33 lead in rebounding and outscored University of Saint Joseph in the paint by a 34-19 margin.
Both teams face GNAC opponents on Monday, when Saint Joseph's travels to Johnson & Wales University and University of Saint Joseph hosts Suffolk University. Both games are slated to start at 1:00 PM.
GAME NOTES:
The Monks are now 6-1 in the history of the series with the Blue Jays and have defeated USJ in three-consecutive meetings…with the victory, Saint Joseph's has reached the 10-win plateau for the 35th time in the 37-year history of the women's basketball program…UP NEXT: Saint Joseph's is 4-3 all-time versus Johnson & Wales (4-10, 2-0 GNAC) and has defeated the Wildcats in four-consecutive match-ups.
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.
