STANDISH, Maine – Senior guard Elisabeth Stapelfeld (Brookline, N.H.) netted a game-high 25 points to help Saint Joseph's College (15-10, 10-2 GNAC) defeat University of Saint Joseph (8-17, 6-6 GNAC), 76-54, in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) women's basketball play on Mike McDevitt Court at the Harold Alfond Center on Saturday afternoon.
TOURNAMENT IMPLICATIONS:
Saint Joseph's entered the contest having already secured the #2 seed in the GNAC Tournament and, with the final conference standings now set, the Monks have learned they will face the University of Saint Joseph—this time as the #7 seed—in quarterfinal action on Tuesday at 5:00 PM.
SENIOR MOMENT:
Prior to the start of the contest, the Monks held a brief ceremony to honor the program's four seniors: Logan Brown (Brunswick, Maine), Madison Lebel (Hermon, Maine), Grace Ramsdell (Wells, Maine), and Stapelfeld.
With the senior class of 2026 on the court, Saint Joseph's has sported an 80-31 (.721) overall record, including a stellar 51-6 (.895) mark in conference play, with two GNAC Championships and NCAA Tournament appearances and three trips to the conference final.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Saint Joseph's set the tone early, opening a 19-12 lead after one quarter, but the Blue Jays held the Monks to just six points in the second quarter and delivered a 7-0 run late to claim a 24-23 edge with 37 seconds before the break. Brown made a layup on the ensuing Saint Joseph's trip down the floor to send the hosts into the locker room with a 25-24 lead at intermission.
Saint Joseph's held the advantage for the remainder of the game, but the Monks could not break free of a two-possession margin until Lebel ignited a 12-4 run with a layup at the 5:22 mark of the third quarter. The spurt helped the hosts take a 50-38 cushion into the fourth frame.
The Monks put the game out of reach in the final quarter and grabbed their first 20-point lead (70-50) when Stapelfeld went 1-for-2 at the free-throw line with 3:03 remaining.
STATS OF THE GAME:
Saint Joseph's scored 21 points off 23 USJ turnovers while committing only nine miscues, and the Blue Jays managed just eight points off SJC giveaways. The Monks also held a decisive edge at the free-throw line, shooting 74.1% (20-27) compared to USJ's 60.0% (12-20). A dominant third quarter—when the hosts outscored the visitors, 25-14—proved to be the difference and all but sealed the victory.
LEADERS – SAINT JOSEPH'S:
- Elisabeth Stapelfeld: 25 points (7-10 FG), 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals
- Maddie Russell (Jr., Oakfield, Maine): 19 points, 5 rebounds, 3 steals, 1 block
- Logan Brown: 10 points
- Madison Lebel: 10 points
- Abby Dube (Jr., Groveland, Mass.): 4 assists
LEADERS – SAINT JOSEPH (CONN.):
- Sequoia Turcotte Briggs (So., Andover, Conn.): 16 points
- Nevaeh Yorke (So., Norwich, Conn.): 11 points, 5 rebounds
- Ella Kulas (So., Cheshire, Conn.): 10 points, 7 rebounds
HISTORICALLY SPEAKING:
With the victory, Saint Joseph's improves to 16-4 in the history of the series with University of Saint Joseph, a team that topped the Monks by a 66-59 score in the 2025 GNAC Championship.