Thursday, January 31, 2013 (Boston, Massachusetts) - Sophomore's Jenn Rafuse (Brockton, MA/Brockton) and Allison O'Connor (Leominster, MA/Leominster) paced the Mount Ida College women's basketball team with 12 points each surrendering a 61-47 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) loss to hosting Simmons College Thursday evening in Boston, Massachusetts falling for the eighth consecutive time in league action. Although the Mustangs never led in the contest, they trailed by only four points at the midway point. The second half was owned by the host propelling the Sharks to their first GNAC win of the season.
The Mustangs fall to an overall record of 6-15 still searching for their first conference win of the season (0-8). Simmons improves to 4-13 for the year, 2-5 in league competition.
Simmons senior Liz O'Connor (Milton, MA) scored her 1,000th career point with just over five minutes remaining in the first half to lead the hosts. O'Connor, who is averaging 10.2 points per game, needed just six points to break the elusive 1,000 point mark. She finished the game with her sixth double-double of the season. Simmons junior Hannah May (Hamden, CT) scored a game-high 14 points.
The Sharks took a ten point lead in the first half off strong play from May, O'Connor and Nicole Alberghini (Northborough, MA). Evebonee Acosta (Hartford, CT/Bulkeley) scored six points in the final minutes of the half to reign in the Sharks lead, while Sierra Legge (Schodack Landing, NY/Maple Hill) buried a jump shot with ten seconds remaining to cut the deficit to four entering halftime, 25-21.
The Mustangs narrowed the margin even further off a Leslie Campbell jumper to start the second half but the Sharks rebounded with baskets by O'Connor and Olivia LaCroix (Manchester, NH). Leah Davis (Cranston, RI) made the most of the Mustangs fouls, shooting 100% from the line.
With just over ten minutes to play in the second, freshman Jen Janiak (Chelmsford, MA) hit two three-pointers in a row off assists from May to give the Sharks an 18 lead. The hosts O'Connor responded with two baskets from behind the arc of her own but a jump shot by Desh Perera (Reading, MA) and another by May sealed the Sharks' fate for a second-straight victory.
Mount Ida women's hoops will have the weekend off and travel to Emerson College in downtown Boston, Massachusetts next Tuesday for more GNAC action with tip-off coming at 7:00 p.m.
Some Content Courtesy of Simmons College Sports Information