Women's Volleyball returns to GNAC Championship with 3-1 win over Simmons

(Nashua, N.H.) The second seeded Raiders of Rivier University will make their fifth consecutive trip to the Great Northeast Athletic Conference Tournament Championship Game after defeating the third seeded Simmons College Sharks in a four set match this evening at the Muldoon Gymnasium. The Raiders were able to take the 3-1 win by scores of 25-17, 25-12, 24-26 and 25-13.

The Raiders received standout efforts from sophomores Dana Mott (Medway, Mass.), Lauren Silverman (Chelmsford, Mass.) and Molly McCormack (Ballston Lake, N.Y.). All three reached double-digit kills as Mott led the way with 16. Silverman totaled 15 kills and a .583 hitting percentage with McCormack chipping in 11 kills and 12 digs. Junior Emily O'Reilly (San Francisco, Calif.) dished out 43 assists in four set win while classmate Lyndsey Sweeney (Coventry, R.I.) collected 8 digs and 5 service aces. Silverman also had a tremendous night along the net with 8 total blocks, four of the solo variety.

Simmons saw junior Nicole Aberghini (Northborough, Mass.) and freshman Amber Peterson (Las Vegas, Nev.) hammer down 10 kills apiece this evening. Sophomore setter Andalyn Duke (Litchfield Park, Ariz.) tallied 30 assists and junior Chanel Thomas (Phoenix, Ariz.) led the game with 13 digs. Sophomore Abby Hart (Westfield, Mass.) added three kills and a block solo in the season ending loss.

In the other GNAC Semi-Final matchup, the fourth seeded Johnson and Wales University was able to create the upset as they defeated top seeded Emmanuel College in four sets in Boston.

With the Emmanuel loss, the Raiders are now the highest remaining seed and will host the GNAC Championship Game on Saturday afternoon. This will be the third consecutive year that Rivier has been fortunate enough to host the Championship and it also marks the program's 11th appearance in the GNAC Championship in the past fifteen years. Rivier is 5-5 in GNAC Championship Games including winning two of the past three seasons.

Johnson and Wales (17-15, 8-3) and Rivier (26-6, 10-1) have matched up in the GNAC Championship Game four previous times with an even 2-2 split. Rivier captured victories in 2007 and 2008 while falling to the Wildcats in 2002 and 2010.

Earlier this season, the Raiders were able to travel down to Providence, Rhode Island and take a 3-0 victory home back on October 18th by scores of 25-18, 25-19, 25-19.

Championship game time is set for 1pm at the Muldoon Gymnasium in Nashua, New Hampshire. There will be live video of the game available for free on the www.rivierathletics.com website.