BOSTON, Mass. -- Simmons Lacrosse scored nine goals in the second half to come from behind and defeat the Rivier College Raiders 17-16 on a chilly Tuesday evening in Great Northeast Athletic Conference action. Sharks junior Rachel Wallace (Braintree, Mass.) scored six goals on nine shots to lead Simmons to its second conference victory of the season.

After a free position goal by Sharks sophomore Leanne Luke (Newton, Mass.), the Raiders scored four goals in five minutes, two from Jessica Amaral and one each from Hannah Wyatt and Lauren Brett. Megan Coffey (Wilmot Flat, N.H.) broke up the Raiders momentum when she beat Rivier goalkeeper Makenzie Flagg off a feed from sophomore Callie Warnock (Kingston, Mass.). But the Raiders offense was relentless, scoring three goals by Savannah Neuwirt, Rebecca Wickens and Amaral to increase their lead, 7-2.

Simmons capitalized on two Raider fouls when Mary Essa (Las Vegas, Nev.) and Wallace each beat Flagg on free position shots to cut Rivier's lead to four. Warnock connected with Luke, who scored her second goal of the evening during a man up situation for the Sharks, and Wallace buried a high shot in the left corner to bring the Sharks to within one.

The Raiders scored three goals in the last six minutes of the half but the Sharks responded with goals by Warnock and Wallace to end the half down one, 9-8.

The second half was full of lead changes, with the Sharks leading by as many as five with goals by Meaghan Maurice (Portland, Maine), Wallace, Warnock, and Luke. But the Raiders fought back with three goals by Amaral to bring the visitors back within two, 16-14, with 8:21 remaining.

With two minutes remaining, Wallace converted on a free position shot to increase the Sharks lead to three but a turnover resulted in a Raiders goal by Wickens with 1:49 to play. Wickens beat Sharks goalkeeper Kelly Last (West Haven, Conn.) on a free position shot to bring the game within one, but Warnock won the final draw control to protect the Sharks lead for the win.

Simmons (3-5, 2-1 GNAC) returns to the field on Friday, March 30th when they travel to GNAC foe Saint Joseph's College (Maine) for a 7:30 p.m. start. The Raiders (0-4) host Daniel Webster on March 29th at 7:00 p.m.