BOSTON, Mass. -- Simmons field hockey scored four unanswered goals in the first half and added three more in the second to defeat the Rivier College Raiders 7-1 in North Atlantic Conference action Wednesday evening. Sharks sophomore Kelly Williamson (Natick, Mass.) picked up her first collegiate hatrick in the win.

In the first half, Simmons controlled the ball through the midfield and tested Raiders goalkeeper Makenzie Flagg early. Sophomore Aslyn Dindorf (Harts Location, N.H.) found the back of the net at 8:13 off a rebound by Flagg. Three minutes later, Dindorf buried another shot past Flagg off a stellar pass by Meghan Fay (Foxboro, Mass.) to put the Sharks up by two.

The Raiders had two opportunities to cut the score in half off penalty corners by Ashley Ruocco but Simmons goalkeeper Renna Smith (Belfast, Maine) came up big to maintain the Sharks lead.

Simmons midfielder Seneca Martensson (East Longmeadow, Mass.) picked up a clear by Smith and sent a long ball to the Sharks offensive line. Dindorf collected the ball outside the circle and hit a line drive toward the cage as Williamson deflected the ball past Flagg for her first goal of the evening at 18:09. Four minutes later, Fay found Williamson in the circle, who beat Flagg on the left side.

The Sharks defense denied three consecutive Rivier penalty corners, including a shot by Lindsay Rettenmeier, which hit the post but the Raiders were unable to convert as the first half expired wit the Sharks up 4-0.

At 41:44 in the second half, junior Monica Doucette (Rockport, Maine) slipped a quick shot past Flagg off an assist by Amy Cronin (Georgetown, Mass.) but the Raiders rebounded with the lone goal of the game off a shot by Rettenmeier. Just six minutes later, Cronin set up a Sharks penalty corner as Williamson tallied her final goal of the game. Simmons continued their offensive attack with shots by Cronin, Dindorf, and Gabrielle LaPerriere (Auburn, Maine) but it was Doucette who finally beat Flagg to end the scoring at 52:03.

The Sharks held a 25-8 advantage in shots, while the Raiders held a slight edge in penalty corners, 8-7. Simmons returns to action on Saturday when they travel to Colby-Sawyer for a 12:00 p.m. start.