We're Back! Finlayson leads Rivier back to GNAC Championship

(Nashua, NH) The Rivier University Raiders Women's Volleyball team is now just one win away from successfully defending their 2011 GNAC Championship as they downed fourth seeded Simmons College, 3-0 in tonight's semi-final match.

Rivier took three straight sets from the Sharks tonight by scores of 25-12, 25-18 and 25-18. The match was a hard fought battle as both teams played extremely well in front of a full house inside the Muldoon Gymnasium.

Senior Kenna Finlayson (Derry, NH) was the catalyst for the Raiders as she recorded a game high 17 kills on her way to an outstanding .441 hitting percentage. Freshman Emily O'Reilly (San Francisco, CA) had 31 assists while junior Jessica Amaral (East Providence, RI) was a defensive highlight with 17 digs – also a game high. Junior Nicole Peacock (Warwick, RI) had a solid night as she was able to pick up 8 kills, 2 digs and 2 total blocks.

Simmons was led by freshman Raeann Nesta (Niantic, CT) who had 12 kills and freshman Chanel Thomas (Pheonix, AZ) who led the team with 13 digs. Freshman Kyla McCabe-Corrow (Madbury, NH) also had a productive night as she recorded 23 assists and 4 digs. The loss marks the final game for Simmons seniors Kelly Last (West Haven, CT), Caroline Boyd (Wilbraham, MA) and Rachel Dufault (Westport, MA). The trio combined for 10 kills and 14 digs on the evening with Boyd racking up the kills (8) and Dufault with the digs (8). The Sharks finish the 2012 season with an overall record of 19-14 and fourth place in the conference with a 9-3 record.

In tonight's other semi-final contest, the second seeded Lions of Emerson College earned their second straight trip to the Championship with a 3-0 home win over the sixth seeded Johnson and Wales University Wildcats.

Rivier, now 24-9 on the season, has set themselves up perfect for a title defense. With their 11-1 GNAC Regular Season record, the Raiders will host the 2012 GNAC Championship Game inside the Muldoon Gymnasium on Sunday, November 4th at 12pm against #2 Emerson College. This will be the second consecutive meeting between the two programs for the GNAC title as in the 2011 Championship, Rivier won an epic 5 set battle at Emerson. In their previous meeting this season, the Lions were able to hand the Raiders their only GNAC loss back on October 8th – a 3-1 decision. River has defeated Emerson in four of their five meetings in GNAC Tournament play dating back to 2005.