PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Senior forward Presley Silva (Wilmington, Mass.) netted 13 points and matched her career-high with 15 rebounds to lead the Simmons College women's basketball team in a 63-44 loss to host Johnson & Wales University this afternoon in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference game at the Wildcat Center in Providence, R.I. The Sharks fall to 1-14 overall and 1-9 in conference play, while the Wildcats improve to 11-8 and 7-3.

The Wildcats converted 22 Simmons turnovers into a 27-12 points off turnovers margin, while shooting 45.3% (24-53) from the floor, including 63.6% (14-22) in the second half, to the Sharks' 37.8% (17-45) clip.

Silva's consecutive-game streak with at least one block going back to last season, came to an end at 19 straight, but she added three assists and a pair of steals to the fifth double-double in her last six games and seventh overall for Simmons. Junior guard Rebekah Carroll (Londonderry, N.H.) chipped in with 10 points, two rebounds, an assist and a steal, while first year guard Jalissa Rodriguez (Waterbury, Conn.) netted nine points to go with three rebounds, two assists and a steal.

Senior point guard Raquel Pederzani (Conventry, R.I.) played all 40 minutes and scored a game-high 20 points, including four three-pointers, in addition to handing out seven assists, making four steals and grabbing three rebounds to lead Johnson & Wales. Junior forward Ally Mishol (Longmeadow, Mass.) came off the bench to net 11 points on 5-6 from the field, grab two rebounds, dish out two assists and block a shot in 18 minutes of action, while sophomore guard Britney Gallagher (New City, N.Y.) contributed with 10 points, two rebounds and a pair of steals. 

The Sharks outscored the Wildcats, 17-8, in the second quarter to almost erase a 12-point deficit following the first period. Simmons scored the first seven points of the quarter as part of an 11-4 run, fueled by five points from Rodriguez, to pull the visitors to within 22-17 with 5:35 left in the quarter. Carroll later knocked down a three-pointer to cut the trailing margin to 26-23 with 1:38 to go before the half. Neither team was able to score for the final 98 seconds as the Wildcats took a three-point cushion into the intermission.

Silva hit a short jumper in the lane at the 8:25 mark of the third quarter to bring the Sharks to within 26-25, but it was as close as they would get for the rest of the day. Johnson & Wales reeled off eight unanswered points, capped by a three-pointer from senior guard Kristen Habbel (Phoenixville, Pa.), to increase its advantage to 34-25 with 5:37 showing in the third quarter. Simmons responded by scoring seven of the next nine points, including four from Rodriguez, to close to within 36-32 with 3:01 to play in the period. The Wildcats put distance between themselves and their guests with a 10-1 burst to close out the quarter and take a 46-33 lead into the final period of play.

First year forward Julia LaMontagne (Amesbury, Mass.) made a lay-up at the 6:56 mark of the fourth period for the Sharks to make it 53-42, but Johnson & Wales scored 10 of the final 12 points to secure the victory at 63-44.

Carroll scored the first two points of the game on a layup just 26 seconds into the game, but the Wildcats finished out the first quarter on an 18-4 run, led by eight points from Pederzani, to take an 18-6 lead after one period of play.

Simmons plays its first home contest in two weeks when it returns to the court on Tuesday, January 30, hosting GNAC rival Rivier University in Moore Gymnasium at 7:00 p.m., while the Wildcats host Mount Ida College on the same night at 7:00 p.m.