WEST HARTFORD, CT – Top-seeded University of Saint Joseph (14-2-1, 10-1-1 GNAC) blanked #8 Saint Joseph's College (8-5-4, 4-4-4 GNAC), 2-0, in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Women's Soccer Tournament quarterfinal contest on Sunday afternoon. Junior keeper Jaci Lorenzen (Windham, Maine) made eight saves in the Monks' season-ending loss.

The Blue Jays netted a goal in each half, as Katie Mirabella (Seymour, Conn.) scored in the first stanza and Tiana Saraceno (Plainville, Conn.) hit pay dirt in the latter half to propel the hosts to a two-goal triumph. University of Saint Joseph netminder Melissa Dodge (Watertown, Conn.) made five saves to notch 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 Storm 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.

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 through the box to Mirabella, who finished from just over the goal line for her eighth goal of the season.

The 1-0 cushion remained until 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.

The Monks outshot the Blue Jays by a 9-7 margin in the first half, but the Blue Jays held a 10-4 shots lead in the second stanza en route to securing a 17-13 advantage overall. St. Joe's recorded a 5-3 lead in corner kicks on the afternoon.

With the loss, Saint Joseph's falls to 3-2-2 in the history of the series with University of Saint Joseph. The Blue Jays defeated the Monks by a 3-0 margin earlier this season in a match played in West Hartford on September 19th.

Saint Joseph's will close out the 2012 campaign with a non-conference contest at University of Southern Maine on Friday, November 2nd. Kick-off is scheduled for 3:00 PM.

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.