WATERVILLE, ME – Saint Joseph's College (5-1-0, 1-0-0 GNAC) edged Thomas College (2-4-0, 0-0-0 NAC), 1-0, in a non-conference women's soccer match on Tuesday night. Senior Lauren Chouinard (Gorham, Maine) broke a scoreless stalemate with a marker, her third of the season, in the 65th minute to lift the Monks to their third-consecutive victory.

Saint Joseph's held sizeable advantages in both shots (25-5) and corner kicks (6-2) but could muster just one goal as 12 of the Monks' bids sailed off target and four shots were blocked by the Terriers' defense in the narrow triumph.

Despite the lopsided stats, it was the host Terriers who would threaten first as a Bronte Howorth cross narrowly missed the head of Kajsa Kaufeldt, who was stationed in the box and, with an open look, would have almost certainly scored the game's inaugural goal.

With three minutes remaining in the first half the Monks rattled off three consecutive shots in a matter of 12 seconds, but two were blocked and the last – off the foot of Chouinard – was stopped by Thomas netminder Kate Thibodeau.

The Monks continued peppering the goal in the second stanza and finally found the back of the net at the 64:24 mark. Chouinard tallied what turned out to be the game-clincher when she dribbled just inside the box and buried a shot to the far post side past a sprawling Thibodeau.

Senior goalkeeper Jaci Lorenzen (Windham, Maine) made four saves to earn her fourth shutout in six games this fall. Thibodeau registered eight saves in a losing effort for Thomas.

With the victory, Saint Joseph's improves to 33-6 in the history of the series with Thomas College, which began with two tilts during the 1988 campaign – the Monks' first as a varsity program. The Monks have now defeated the Terriers in 18 consecutive meetings dating back to the 1998 season – 12 of the SJC victories have been of the shutout variety.

Saint Joseph's, off to a 5-1 start for the first time since 2010, will host conference-rival Norwich University on Saturday at 2:30 PM. Thomas kicks off North Atlantic Conference play with a match at Lyndon State College on Saturday.

THANKS IN PART TO THOMAS COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION

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.