STANDISH, Maine – Saint Joseph's College (11-0) captured the SJC Autumn Invitational Championship for the fifth time in the last seven years with a 3-0 (25-12, 25-14, 25-12) title-match victory over Husson University (5-10) at the Harold Alfond Center on Saturday. Senior middle blocker Felicia Wachowiak (Milton, N.H.) tallied seven kills with three solo blocks and garnered tourney MVP honors for the second time in her career.
The Monks opened the day with a 3-0 (25-18, 25-11, 25-8) triumph over Eastern Nazarene College (3-9) while Husson defeated Maine-Presque Isle (0-11), 3-0 (25-21, 24-26, 25-9, 25-14) in the other 10:00 AM match on court two.
In the consolation match, Eastern Nazarene blanked Maine-Presque Isle, 3-0 (25-15, 25-7, 25-12).
With the two victories, the Monks extend their winning streak to a program-record 11 matches. Saint Joseph's swept all four matches in which the team played during the invitational tourney, which has been hosted at St. Joe's each of the last 16 years.
Saint Joseph's def. Eastern Nazarene, 3-0 (25-18, 25-11, 25-8)
The Monks were uncharacteristically slow out of the gates in the first set and fell into an 11-3 hole as a result. The hosts recovered with an 11-3 run of their own to knot the set at 14-14 and scored eight of 10 points down the stretch to take the first frame.
Saint Joseph's would not trail in the second and third sets to claim the shutout win and advance to the tournament title bout against Husson.
Junior Victoria Huntley (Ellsworth, Maine) registered nine kills, five digs and a pair of aces while Wachowiak, Alli Hollander (Thermal, Calif.) and Shadai Gosselin (Somersworth, N.H.) contributed five kills apiece in the win over the Lions. Freshman libero Jennelle Thompson (Farmington, N.H.) posted a match-high 18 digs, Gosselin added 11 digs, senior Abbie McPhee (Epping, N.H.) contributed eight digs and four aces, and senior Samantha Wright (Westport, Mass.) chipped in with three aces in the triumph.
For the Lions, junior Joanna Joseph (Brockton, Mass.) belted three kills, freshman Viviana Coix (Warrenville, Ill.) posted nine digs, and senior Hannah Welsh (Derry, N.H.) added seven digs, two kills and a pair of aces in the setback.
Husson def. Maine-Presque Isle, 3-1 (25-21, 24-26, 25-9, 25-14)
Husson recovered from a second-set loss with decided victories in the third and fourth sets to advance to the SJC Autumn Invitational Championship.
Sophomore middle hitter Bailey Cote (Biddeford, Maine) led the charge for the Eagles by posting 11 kills, five solo blocks and four service aces while junior outside hitter Lindsay Chapman (Gorham, Maine) contributed seven kills and 13 digs versus the Owls. Sophomore setter Marissa Johnson (Russell, N.Y.) dealt 28 assists with a pair of aces and six digs and sophomore defensive specialist Sarah Wilson (Dover, N.H.) picked up 28 digs in the 10:00 AM match on court two.
Senior Morgan Swan (Caribou, Maine) paced the Owls with six kills and tied for the team-lead with 13 digs while junior Abby Jewett (Bar Harbor, Maine) registered five kills and 13 digs and senior Hannah Boyce (Bar Harbor, Maine) tallied five kills and eight digs in the setback. Freshman Hannah Williams (Park Falls, Nova Scotia) added 13 assists and senior Katie Patenaude (Presque Isle, Maine) chipped in with 12 digs in the losing effort.
CHAMPIONSHIP: Saint Joseph's def. Husson, 3-0 (25-12, 25-14, 25-12)
St. Joe's employed the dual threat of dominance at the net as well as on the serve in the sweep over Husson, as the Royal Blue boasted 21 kills with a .241 attack rate and 14 service aces in the title bout.
Wachowiak posted seven kills with three blocks while Huntley put up six kills and six digs with a pair of aces and Gosselin added five kills and eight digs in the win. Junior setter Mariah Hebert (Biddeford, Maine) totaled 15 assists, three digs and a pair of aces, Thompson chipped in with 16 digs and four aces and McPhee and Wright both delivered three service aces for the hosts.
Senior Emma Plouffe (Frankfort, N.Y.) led the Eagles with three kills while sophomore Nia Arranaga (San Jose, Calif.) tallied three aces, two kills and six digs in the losing bid. Sophomore Kaitlyn Carl (East Machias, Maine) contributed seven digs and Johnson dealt five assists in the closing match.
CONSOLATION: Eastern Nazarene def. Maine-Presque Isle, 3-0 (25-15, 25-7, 25-12)
The Lions picked up their second win of the tournament with the help of 22 kills and 22 aces as Joseph led the attack with eight kills and Welsh boasted six kills and six aces in the three-set sweep.
Sophomore Oksana DiCamillo (Nottingham Township, Pa.) contributed five aces and 10 digs for Eastern Nazarene while sophomore Kayla Dean (Lansdale, Pa.) recorded three kills, six assists, five aces and four digs in her team's final match of the annual tourney.
For the Owls, Boyce tallied four kills and three digs, Jewett posted three kills and 11 digs, Swan picked up a match-high 14 digs, and Williams dealt seven assists.
All-Tournament Team
Saint Joseph's - Felicia Wachowiak - MVP
Saint Joseph's - Victoria Huntley
Saint Joseph's - Jennelle Thompson
Husson - Bailey Cote
Husson - Lindsay Chapman
UMPI - Abby Jewett
ENC - Hannah Welsh
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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.
