Reilly Swislosky moves the ball ahead for Rivier during Tuesday night's game vs. Keene State. (Courtesy photo by Brian Berthiaume/Rivier Athletics)

NASHUA – The Rivier field hockey team was beaten by Keene St. in a non-conference clash at Merrill Field on Tuesday night, 4-2.

The Raiders fell to 3-8 (2-5 GNAC) while the Owls advanced to 11-2 (2-0 LEC).

In a first half where Riv was outshot 16-6, it was the Raiders who got on the board first with junior forward Reilly Swislosky finding the back of the net on a feed from graduate student Kayla Miles to give the home side a 1-0 edge.

Keene St. would erase its deficit with 11 seconds remaining in the first quarter on a goal by Molly Murray off a corner try. The Owls would take the lead 9:19 into the second quarter as Irini Sefanakos fired home a loose ball in the circle.

The Owls’ lead doubled 1:28 into the second half as Grace Seabury scored from Grace Bazin. Seabury and Bazin connected again just over 12 minutes later to extend the Keene St. lead to 4-1.

Rivier senior midfielder Madison Bovill cut into the Owls’ lead with 9:59 remaining in regulation, firing a shot in the far low corner to make it a two-goal game.

Riv would attempt seven shots in the final minutes of the contest but could not close the gap.

Senior keeper Kylie Coupal made 18 saves in the defeat as the Owls hurled 44 shots toward the target in the game. Keene St. also earned 16 penalty corners to the Raiders’ four.

The Raiders will round out their non-conference homestand on Thursday, Oct. 10 with a 7:00 p.m. showdown with Salem St. at Merrill Field.

WOMEN’S SOCCER

NUGENT, LAXA WIN GNAC AWARDS

After a 2-0-1 week, which included wins over two Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) opponents, Rivier women’s soccer student-athletes Bri Nugent and Nadia Laxa were awarded the GNAC Goalie and Rookie of the Week awards, respectively, the conference office announced Monday.

Nugent posted two shutouts, making 18 saves over three starts, to improve the squad’s record to 7-3-3 (7-0-1 GNAC). This is the second consecutive week that the Killingworth, Conn. native has earned the honors.

Laxa, a first-year defender, earns a GNAC weekly award for the first time in her career. While being a major part of the back line, the Virginia Beach, Va. native assisted in the team’s 2-1 Tuesday win at Dean and scored her first collegiate goal in a 1-0 victory at Saint Joseph’s (Me.) on Saturday.

Nugent, Laxa, and the rest of the Raiders will look to remain unbeaten in GNAC play when they head to Colby-Sawyer today for a 4:00 p.m. kickoff at the Kelsey Soccer Field.

WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY

MCAVOY GNAC RUNNER OF WEEK

Doctoral student Emma McAvoy ran her way to her second Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Runner of the Week award after her stellar performance this past weekend at the Norwich Cadet Invitational.

The Atlanta, Ga. native topped the leaderboard Saturday afternoon, posting a time of 24:16.0 and beating all other opponents by over a minute.

Her win marked the Raiders’ first top finish since 2019.

McEvoy and the rest of the Raiders will hit the trail for the final time this campaign for the GNAC Championship on November 2, in Northfield, Vt. at the Norwich Cross Country Course. The women set off at 11:00 a.m.