CASTLETON, VT - Saint Joseph's (2-0) toppled Elms College (0-1), 93-60, in non-conference women's basketball action at the Rutland Herald Tip-Off Tournament, hosted by Castleton State College, on Friday night. Four players totaled at least 10 points for the Monks with senior guard Megan McDevitt (Cumberland, Maine) leading all scorers with 14.

With the win St. Joe's advances to the tourney championship game which will be played at 3:00 PM on Saturday. The Monks will face the host Spartans, who defeated Simmons College, 81-53, in the invitational opener earlier this evening.

Saint Joseph's used a lethal combination of dominant play in the paint, opportunistic defense and excellent three-point shooting to record the team's first 90-point performance in over two years. The last time Saint Joseph's topped 90 points in a game came on December 5th, 2008 when the Royal Blue defeated the College of St. Joseph (VT), 95-40.  

The Monks out-rebounded the Blazers by a 47-31 margin, including a 23-5 effort on the offensive glass and outscored Elms, 42-24, in the paint as a result. St Joe's also won the turnover battle, committing just 10 miscues compared to 22 by the Blazers, and notched a 23-10 advantage in points off turnovers in the victory.

Five different players made at least three-pointer as the Monks shot a scorching 47.6% (10-21) from beyond the arc versus the Blazers. The 10 trifectas made ties a program single-game record and the success rate from downtown is the highest over the last 13 seasons.

All 14 SJC players saw action and 13 put up points, including Hailey Frisbee '15 (Kittery Point, Maine) who logged six minutes and scored two points in her first collegiate action. Melanie Cloutier '13 (Paris, Maine), who missed the entire 2010-11 campaign with an injury, netted nine points and made a pair of three-pointers in her first NCAA action since February 18th, 2010.

The Monks wasted little time establishing a lead as the Royal Blue held a 9-0 cushion just two minutes and thirty seconds into play. Allie Parent '12 (Camden, Maine) produced six points during the tone-setting span.

St. Joe's pushed the advantage to 24-7 when Abby Young '14 (North Yarmouth, Maine) hit a three-pointer at the 13:23 mark and Parent extended the Monks' lead to 37-14 four minutes later with a trifecta of her own.

Saint Joseph's headed into intermission leading 52-28 and managed to hold at least a 24-point cushion for the remainder of the contest.

The Monks notched their largest lead of the evening – 35 points (85-50) - when Cloutier drained a three-pointer off a Sarah Assante '15 (Standish, Maine) pass at the 5:12 mark of the second stanza.

For the Monks, Ashley Geel '12 (St. George, Maine) tallied 12 points, six boards and two blocks, Parent and Young both netted 11, and Nicolette Kapothanasis '15 (Westbrook, Maine) went 3-6 from downtown en route to scoring nine points. Lindsay Moore '14 (Somersworth, N.H.) chipped in with eight points and six caroms, Danyelle Shufelt '13 (Sutton, Vt.) scored six, and Mackenzie Dufour '14 (Augusta, Maine) recorded two points, eight assists and four rebounds on the night.

For the Blazers, Denisha Parks registered a double-double with 10 points and 10 boards and Emily Boucher added nine points off a 3-4 performance from beyond the arc.

Saint Joseph's shot 45.3% (34-75) from the floor, 47.6% (10-21) from three-point distance, and 66.7% (14-21) from the free throw line. Elms countered by shooting 44.2% (23-52) overall, 54.5% (6-11) from downtown, and 66.7% (8-12) from the charity stripe.

With the win, St. Joe's improves to 2-0 in the history of the series with Elms College. The two teams had not met on the hardwood since January 12th, 1986, when the Monks bested the Blazers by a 75-48 tally