NEWTON, Mass. – Freshman attack Elyse Caiazzo (Scarborough, Me.) recorded 8 goals and one assist good for nine points in the game that saw the Monks of Saint Joe's (ME) defeat Mount Ida in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) play on Wednesday afternoon by a final score of 18-7.

Mount Ida was led offensively on the day by sophomore Nicole Pavao (Peabody, Mass.) who recorded her first hat trick of the season on just four shots.

With the loss, the Mustangs drop to 2-7 (2-4 GNAC) while the 1^st place Monks improve to 7-1 (4-0 GNAC).

Pavao opened up the scoring for both teams just 15 seconds into regulation to give the hosts the early 1-0 advantage. Saint Joe's would score six straight times off the stick of Kelsey Dumond (Lewiston, Me.) who tied things up at 1-1 at the 28:54 mark before Caiazzo notched her first two scores of the contest, giving the Monks a 3-1 lead.

Jackie Wilson (Tiverton, R.I.) and Mary Leasure (South Portland, Me.) each recorded an unassisted goal while Lizzie Calnan (Westport, Mass.) scored off the stick of Wilson while padding the visitors lead at 6-1.

Senior Amanda Bowen (Randolph, Vt.), the leading scorer in the GNAC heading into today's game, cut the Monks lead in half when she scored twice, bringing her team back into the thick of things at 6-3.

Saint Joe's scored three of the next four goals that saw Caiazzo score twice and Calnan once before Julia Donovan (Franklin, Mass.) got on the board for Mount Ida, again cutting the Monks lead in half.

Caiazzo padded the St. Joe's lead with her 29^th goal of the year at the 5:31 mark while Rebecca Beaulieu (Weare, N.H.) scored her first of the day before Pavao scored her second tally on a free position attempt. Dumond, Caiazzo (2), and Calnan each potted goals before the half giving the Monks the 12-6 lead heading into the break.

Calnan and Pavao exchanged goals to start the second half for each team before the Monks held the hosts scoreless for the final 18:24 of the contest.

Kat Gadbois (Scarborough, Me.) and Caiazzo both scored twice down the stretch while Leasure recorded her second goal of the game from Gadbois, giving St. Joe's the 18-7 conference victory.

The Monks outshot the Mustangs 37-19, while also having the edge in ground balls at 25-20. Mount Ida was 6-14 on clears on the afternoon while the Monks were 12-15.

Mount Ida will return to GNAC action on Saturday, April 1^st, against Johnson and Wales with game time set for 1:00. The Monks will return home on Saturday as well when they entertain Albertus Magnus at 12:30.