Nashua, NH - The Rivier College women's lacrosse team opened up their 2011 campaign with a convincing 20-4 win over first year program Wheelock College on the road.  The Raiders returned 8 players from last years team and the year of experience showed as Rivier got off 24 shots on goal in the win. 

Rivier sophomore Lauren Brett (Otisfield, ME/Oxford Hills Comprehensive) led all scorers with seven goals and an assist, while senior Natalie Bonvie(Salem, NH/Salem) netted four markers. Three Raiders tallied twice, including freshman Hannah Wyatt(Merrimack, NH/Merrimack), who added an assist in her college debut. Sophomore Caleigh Bertolaccini (Chelmsford, MA/Chelmsford) made nine saves during a complete-game effort in net.

The visitors scored seven times in the opening 12:51, with Bonvie and Wyatt netting two goals apiece, before Kylie Hefford (Exeter, NH/St. Thomas Aquinas) provided the first goal in Wheelock history with 16:46 remaining in the first half. Cara McAuliffe (Nashua, NH/Nashua South) tallied off a free-position shot 2:02 later to bring her team within 7-2 before Rivier scored eight straight times to pull away. Hefford and Karlye Kennedy (Byfield, MA/Triton Regional) both found the back of the net in the second stanza, when the Wildcats outshot the Raiders, 11-10, but Bertolaccini turned aside six of those tries.

The Raiders will play next at their home opener on Saturday, March 19th at 1:00 PM against Becker College.