BOSTON, Mass. -- Simmons senior Liz O'Connor (Milton, Mass.) scored her 1,000th career point with just over five minutes remaining in the first half to lead the Sharks to their second consecutive Great Northeast Athletic Conference victory Thursday evening at the Holmes Sports Center.
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, Conn.) scored a game-high 14 points, while Allison O'Connor and Jenn Rafuse added 12 points apiece in the loss for the Mustangs.
The Sharks (4-13, 2-5 GNAC) took a ten point lead in the first half off strong play from May, O'Connor and Nicole Alberghini (Northborough, Mass.). Evebonee Acosta scored six points in the final minutes of the half to reign in the Sharks lead, while Sierra Legge buried a jump shot with ten seconds remaining to cut the deficit to four entering halftime, 25-21.
The Mustangs (6-15, 0-8 GNAC) 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, N.H.). Leah Davis (Cranston, R.I.) 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, Mass.) hit two three-pointers in a row off assists from May to give the Sharks an 18 lead. Allison O'Connor responded with two baskets from behind the arc of her own but a jump shot by Desh Perera (Reading, Mass.) and another by May sealed the Sharks' fate for a second-straight victory.
O'Connor is now 6th on the Sharks all-time career points list with 1,006.
The Sharks return to action on Saturday, February 2nd at GNAC rival Johnson & Wales in Rhode Island.