Nashua, NH- The Raiders (15-9, 7-5) just didn't seem to have enough to fend off Simmons College (15-8,7-4) as the Sharks held on to a 71-65 win during the final home game of the season for the Raiders.  Senior captains Monica White (Augusta, ME) and Jess Mellen (Rockland, MA)where honored before the game as they played the last home game of their fine careers for the Raiders. 

Rivier was able to keep the game close as they out rebounded the Sharks 42-30, which limited the Sharks second and third chance points.  The problem was the Sharks were able to convert 46% of their shots from the field and converted 83% of their free throw shots which came in handy down the stretch, while the Raiders only shot 36% from the floor and shot 23% from behind the arc.  

The Game started off with Liz O'Connor (Milton, MA) getting the first basket of the game to put the Sharks up 2-0 on the Raiders.  On their way back down after a defensive stop, Julianna Eagles (Quincy, MA) hit her first of four 3 pointers of the half to take an early 5-0 lead.  Mackenzie Brooks (Colebrook, NH) stopped the Sharks fast start as she made the first basket of the game for the Raiders, followed by Steph Adams (Nashua, NH) who hit a short jumper to bring the Raiders within one.  As the Sharks went up 12-6, Mellen got her first points of the game after putting the ball in the hoop from the offensive rebound she grabbed.  Mellen later tied the game up at 12 a piece by hitting a foul line jumper.  The Sharks forced some key turnovers that led to an 8-0 run to go up by 22-14 on the Raiders with about 10 minutes to go in the half.  White stopped the Sharks scoring run by hitting a long step back for a score of 22-16.  After the teams traded baskets, Adams got the Raiders within 5 after she made a strong post move to the basket with about 4 minutes left.  That would be as close as the Raiders would come as Eagles continued her hot shooting by making two more 3 pointers in the last 2 minutes of the half to go up 36-25.  Brooks ended the half with a 3 point play for a half time score of 36-28.

O'Connor started the 2^nd half the same way she started the first half by making Simmons' first basket to go up by 10.  Amandra Purcell (Hudson, NH)came back for the Raiders as she hit a wide open Adams under the basket for the easy 2.  Purcell then came down for the Raiders and hit a 3 pointer to bring the score within 5, but was countered by Eagles hitting a 3 pointer of her own for a score of 50-42.  The Raiders started to make a comeback as they went on a 9 point run thanks to Brooks and Purcell both making a couple of big baskets for the Raiders.  After Simmons player Stephanie Fox (West Springfield, MA) made a strong move on the block for a lay-up to go up 59-55, Purcell then took to ball to the whole for an easy lay-up of her own.  On the next offensive possession for the Raiders, Brooks tied the game at 59-59 by converting a couple of free throws and made a lay-up the next time down to take the Raiders first lead of the game.  However, the Sharks were just too much for the Raiders as they made a couple of back to back buckets to go up 65-61, and forced the Raiders to foul them with just under a minute to go in the game.  The Raiders were not able to find the basket as time expired with a final score of 71-65. 

Eagles was lights out from 3 point land as she went 6-9 and made all 6 free throws she attempted on the night for a game high 24 points and collected 5 rebounds.  Fox had herself a game as well as she went 8-15 from the floor for a total of 19 points and led the team with 9 rebounds and 4 assists in the game.  O'Conner chipped in with 12 points and 5 rebounds for the Sharks.

Senior captain Jess Mellen ended her fine career at Rivier with her 11^th double-double on the season by scoring 11 points and pulling down 11 rebounds.  Fellow captain Monica White finished her season just short of a double- double as she put in 9 points a brought down 8 boards.  Purcell finished the game with 13 points, shooting 38% from behind the arc and grabbing 6 boards. 

With the regular season over for the Raiders, the team will be waiting for some other teams to finish the season this weekend to see who they will be facing in the GNAC playoffs, while the Sharks will finish their season on February 20, 2010 against Lasell at 1:00 PM.