Rivier's Mad Ricker shoots over St. Joe's Madison Lebel, left, and former Hollis Brookline standout Elisabeth Stapelfeld during Tuesday night's GNAC encounter at the Muldoon Center. (Courtesy photo by Nick Grace/Rivier Athletics)

NASHUA – The Rivier women’s basketball team fell 79-48 to Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) opponents Saint Joseph’s (Me.) Wednesday evening at the Muldoon Center.

With the loss, the Raiders fell to 2-20 (2-7 GNAC), while the Monks improved to 12-10 (6-2 GNAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED

Saint Joseph’s (Me.), which was led by former Hollis Brookline standout Elisabeth Stapelfeld’s 16 points, opened the contest with a 12-0 run before graduate student Juju Nealy finished a layup with 3:57 to play in the opening quarter.

Both teams played the final 2:51 of the first quarter closely, with Nealy and first-year Madi Ricker recording threes over that stretch; however, the Monks took a 19-8 advantage into the second quarter.

Saint Joseph’s (Me.) continued to have success offensively in the second stanza, as seven different Monks recorded at least one basket to outscore Rivier, 21-9.

Ricker, junior Erika Fantauzzi, and sophomore Hannah Smith contributed scores in the early going of the second quarter.

Saint Joseph’s (Me.) found their rhythm once again with just about five minutes remaining in the half, surging to an 11-3 run to increase its advantage to 23 heading into the locker room.

The Raiders pushed the pace coming out of the break, outscoring the Monks 11-7 in the opening 4:27 of the third quarter.

Both teams kept it close in the second half of the third frame, with Saint Joseph’s (Me.) outscoring Rivier by a single point to take a 53-33 lead into the fourth quarter.

The Monks came out of the gate firing, holding the Raiders scoreless through the opening five minutes of the fourth quarter.

Sophomore Gianna Donato caught fire in the final five minutes of the contest, scoring 11 of Rivier’s 15 points over that time span, but the Monks closed out the contest 79-48.

BOX SCORE BREAKDOWN

Donato paced the offense with 15 points, three rebounds, and three steals.

Nealy followed close behind with 10 points.

UP NEXT

The Raiders return to the court Saturday to face off against GNAC and intrastate foes New England Col. The opening tip is set for 1 p.m. at the Bridges Gym.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

SAINT JOE’S (Me.) 94, RIVIER 90 (2 OT)

With the result on Mental Health Awareness Night at the Muldoon Center, the Raiders moved to 10-12 (3-6 GNAC), while the Monks improved to 14-8 (9-0 GNAC).

SJC jumped out to an early 10-2 lead in the opening three minutes of play.

Back-to-back three-pointers from senior Jamari Williams and junior Theo Briscoe IV ignited the Raiders’ offense, capped by a layup from first-year Daylen Dalcour to pull Rivier within one, 16-15, before its first timeout.

Out of the timeout, the Monks stayed in front, but jumpers from Williams and senior Robenson Baguidy kept the Raiders within striking distance as the teams traded baskets.

Senior Iziah Shaw-Glenn scored four straight points to tie the game 27-27 with 2:46 remaining in the first half. The Monks closed the half with a pair of three-pointers to take a 37-30 lead into the break.

SJC picked up where it left off, opening the second half on an 8-2 run to force a Rivier timeout. Sophomore Matt Youngquist knocked down a three-pointer to trim the deficit to 10, 45-35.

The Monks continued to assert themselves offensively, putting together a 6-0 run before Shaw-Glenn answered with three points. Youngquist finished a transition layup to keep the Raiders within 10 midways through the second half, 47-37.

The squads traded baskets with big baskets from Shaw-Glen and Baguidy to chip into the Monks’ lead with 7:46 left in the contest, 61-57.

Behind buckets from Dalcour, Shaw-Glenn, and Youngquist, the Raiders surged on an 8-0 run to grab their first lead of the contest, 65-63, with 2:50 to play.

SJC kept pace at the foul line, but an offensive board and putback allowed Rivier to maintain a 69-67 advantage, forcing a Monks timeout.

Shaw-Glenn delivered in the clutch, sinking two free throws to push the Raiders’ lead to three.

The Monks split a pair at the line on the ensuing possession and called a timeout, trimming the margin to one possession with 13 seconds remaining.

Rivier came empty at the stripe, and SJC capitalized in the final seconds to even the score and force overtime, 71-71.

Youngquist stayed hot in the extra frame, pushing the Raiders out to a five-point lead. The Monks answered with an 8-0 run, taking a three-point advantage with 2:32 remaining.

Shaw-Glenn buried a turnaround jumper with 50 seconds left to tie the game once again at 79-79. After an SJC timeout, both teams traded jumpers, and Shaw-Glenn’s block at the buzzer sent the game a second overtime, deadlocked at 81-81.

The Monks started on an 8-2 run to take a 94-88 lead with 1:25 left in the game. Shaw-Glen knocked down a three with timing running out for a final of 94-90. Shaw-Glen finished with a 37-point, 10-rebound double-double to lead the Raiders’ offense.

Youngquist followed a 20-point performance, and Dalcour contributed 12 points and eight rebounds.

UP NEXT

The Raiders return to action on Saturday at New England College in the Bridges Gym at 3 p.m.