STANDISH, ME – University of New England (15-8, 5-2 CCC) shutout Saint Joseph's College (19-6, 7-3 GNAC), 3-0 (25-17, 25-17, 25-23) in a non-conference volleyball match at the Harold Alfond Center on Monday evening. Senior middle blocker Sarah Hawkes (Pownal, Maine) registered a match-high 12 kills with seven digs in the losing effort.

Prior to the start of the match, Hawkes and classmate Kiah Begley (Berwick, Maine/St. Thomas Aquinas) were honored with a brief Senior Game ceremony. Parents and family members of both standout players gathered on the court while an announcement covering their career highlights was voiced over the public address system. The duo has helped the SJC volleyball program post a 70-49 (.588) overall record, including a 23-24 (.489) mark in GNAC play, while donning the Royal Blue.

Tonight's matchup versus the Nor'easters featured 16 tie scores and seven lead changes as the Monks surged late in each set, but the hosts could not overcome a slow start en route to suffering the team's third shutout loss of the 2012 campaign.

For the Monks, Begley tallied 24 assists, 10 digs and three kills, junior libero Erica Russi (Debary, Fla.) picked up 17 digs, freshman middle blocker Felicia Wachowiak (Milton, N.H.) added seven kills and a pair of total blocks, and Alli Hollander (Thermal, Calif.) chipped in with six kills and 14 digs. Junior Holly Bannister (Cumberland, Maine) posted five kills in the losing effort.

For the Nor'easters, Angie Brunette (North Andover, Mass.) produced a team-high 10 kills, Jillian Goldstein (Lynnfield, Mass.) recorded nine kills and 13 digs, Paige Curran (Chelmsford, Mass.) added eight kills, five digs and three service aces, and Leah Janelle (Madbury, N.H.) chimed in with eight kills and 13 digs. Junior setter Maria Kuehl (Middleton, N.H.) registered 30 assists, seven digs and four kills for the visitors.

Saint Joseph's will play at Gordon College on Thursday at 7:00 PM, while UNE returns to action on Wednesday with a 7:00 PM match at University of Southern Maine.

Saint Joseph's College, founded in 1912 by the Sisters of Mercy, celebrates its Centennial year in 2012 with a theme of "Realize the Promise" – honoring our commitment to educating well-rounded graduates who combine career focus with classic liberal arts studies. A Private, Catholic, primarily residential, coeducational liberal arts institution, Saint Joseph's welcomes students of all ages and all faiths. The campus, located 18 miles northwest of Portland and just two hours from Boston, encompasses 350 acres along the shore of beautiful Sebago Lake in Standish, Maine. Enrollment ranges between 1,000 and 1,100 students annually. Saint Joseph's offers challenging academic programs in the liberal arts and sciences, education, nursing and business fields in a value-centered environment.