Soccer Score GNAC Tourney Win, 2-0

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – The University of Saint Joseph soccer team scored a goal in each half as the Blue Jays defeated St. Joseph's College of Maine 2-0 Sunday in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference tournament quarterfinal game at Saint Joseph.

Katie Mirabella (Seymour, Conn.) scored in the first half, Tiana Saraceno (Plainville, Conn.) scored after intermission and Melissa Dodge (Watertown, Conn.) made five saves for her eighth shutout of the season as the Blue Jays advanced to the GNAC semifinals for the fifth consecutive year.

USJ, the regular-season GNAC champion and top seed, will host No. 4 Simmons Thursday at 2 p.m., pending the effects of Hurricane Sandy. A semifinal win would put Saint Joseph in its first league championship game, scheduled for Sat. Nov. 3 at the site of the highest remaining seed. No. 3 Emmanuel plays at No. 2 Lasell in Thursday's other semifinal.

"Everybody starts out at 0-0 in the tournament," University of Saint Joseph coach Chris LeGates said. "It's about who can be consistent for 90 minutes and who can execute for 90 minutes. The early goal helped us get off to a good start, but we still have to find a complete 90 minutes to do well in this tournament. Today it was a case of survive and advance and let's learn from what we did and try to get better."

Saint Joseph tied a single-season school record for wins and improved to 14-2-1. Saint Joseph's College, the tournament's No. 8 seed, is 8-5-4.

The Blue Jays got on the board 5:45 into the game despite facing a strong wind throughout the first half. Sara Barnick (Watertown, Conn.) made a run on the left flank and delivered a perfect cross across the box to Mirabella, who finished from just over the goal line for her eighth goal of the season.

The Monks of Saint Joseph's, outshot the Blue Jays 9-7 in the first half, but with the wind at their backs, USJ had a 10-4 edge in the first half to finish with a 17-13 advantage. Saraceno let fly with a 30-yard blast that rattled off the crossbar and in with 21:21 to play for the final score of the contest.

SJC goalkeeper Jaci Lorenzen (Windham, Me.) made eight saves for Monks, who had a 5-3 edge in corner kicks.