PORTLAND, Maine - Senior midfielder Alexia Malone Oliver (Bristol, R.I.) and sophomore Kasey Fries (Bridgewater, Mass.) each netted a pair of goals for the Simmons College women's lacrosse team in a 12-5 defeat by host Saint Joseph's College in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference match today at Deering Memorial Stadium in Portland, Maine. The Sharks fall to 5-5 overall and 2-2 in league play, while the Monks improve to 9-2 and 3-0.

Malone Oliver also added a pair of caused turnovers, while Fries picked up two ground balls and caused a turnover. Senior midfielder Ashley Sheehan (North Attleboro, Mass.) also scored for Simmons and added seven draw controls, two ground balls and a caused turnover. First year goalie Kenzie Rogers (Bourne, Mass.). made 11 saves on the day. 

Junior attack Kelsey Dumond (Lewiston, Maine) led all scorers with four goals for Saint Joseph's in addition to a pair of ground balls, while sophomore attack Elyse Caiazzo (Scarborough, Maine) registered five points on three goals and two assists. She also recorded a game-high five ground balls, four draw controls and a caused turnover. Senior goalie Michelle Cunha (Enfield, Conn.) stopped 10 shots for Saint Joseph's to earn the victory.

Malone Oliver opened the day's scoring with a goal coming less than three minutes into the game for Simmons. It would be the last lead of the night for the Sharks as Saint Joseph's scored the next three markers and never looked back. Senior attack Elizabeth Elcock (Westwood, Mass.) scored twice during the stretch that covered 1:50 of game time to give the home team a 3-1 lead.  Sheehan pulled Simmons to within a goal at the 15:23 mark of the first half, but the Monks went on a 4-0 run, including three goals from Caiazzo, to increase their lead to 7-2. 

Malone Oliver traded goals with senior middie Kat Gadbois (Scarborough, Maine) to end the half as Saint Joseph's went into the lockerroom with an 8-3 lead. 

Fries netted the first two goals of the stanza to pull the Sharks to within 8-5 with 24:31 showing on the second half clock. Dumond scored three of the next four Saint Joseph's goals to give it a 12-5 advantage, while holding Simmons scoreless for the final 20-plus minutes of action.

The Sharks return to the playing field on Tuesday, April 12, taking on GNAC foe Emmanuel College at 7:00 p.m. on Clemente Field, while the Monks travel to Newton, Mass. to play Lasell College on April 14 at 4:00 p.m.