Rivier's Aiden Conley (center) is congratulated by teammates Henri Brochu, left and Conor Walsh (10) after scoring a huge insurance goal late in the Raiders' 13-11 GNAC semifinal win over Norwich Wednesday night at Joanne Merrill Field. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

NASHUA – There is never a safe lead in the sport of college lacrosse.

But the Rivier University men’s lacrosse team has simply come too far to have let a seven-goal advantage disappear in the second half of Wednesday night’s GNAC semifinals at a packed but chilly Joanne Merrill Field.

Especially Raider senior Aiden Conley. He scored five goals, including one that gave Rivier some breathing room with 1:39 left in a 13-11 semifinal win. The Raiders (17-0) will now host Saint Joseph’s of Maine, an 8-6 upset winner over Saint Joe’s of Connecticut, in Saturday’s finals. Game time has yet to be set, but it will likely be a day game at Merrill Field.

Riv will be seeking its second straight conference title and NCAA tourney berth that goes with it. Conley missed that game with a torn miniscus.

“It feels really good, especially with this group of guys,” said Conley, whose goal gave the Raiders that 13-11 lead. “I’ve been looking forward to it for awhile. It feels really sureal and I’m really looking forward to getting to play in it.”

It looked like a certainty for the Raiders as, after leading 6-4 at the half, they opened the third quarter with five-goal run to take an 11-4 lead midway through the third quarter.

But you never know. Some 16 minutes of game clock time later, Norwich’s Jake Marcotte scored to make it just about anyone’s game at 12-11 with 2:54 left.

Gulp.

“We just held on with everything we had,” Raiders coach Jay Delanoy said. “We just battled. Those guys at Norwich, they just keep coming. We just kept fighting it off, fighting it off, held together to get out of it with the result that we wanted.”

“Ran out of time,” Norich coach Dylan Curry said. “I think our guys battled til the end. You give a good team and a well-coached team a lead, but I’m really proud of our guys, the effort. Just a real bounce-back overall. I couldn’t be more proud of this group.”

This was nothing knew for these two teams as it was the Raiders who rallied in the regular season here for an overtime win. The Cadets were hoping to get to an extra session and appeared to have a possession thanks to what looked like a Raider turnover, but Riv long stick middie James DelPrete was able to reach up in the air to grab the loose ball, gave it to Conley and he got the insurance tally.

“Every little play counts,” Delanoy said. “Every little play counts, and it all adds up in the end.”

Rivier’s Mason Schultz, left, tries to get loose from Norwich’s David Myers during Wednesday night’s GNAC semis at Merrill Field. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

Norwich had started with a 2-0 lead on two Case MacDonald goals, but Riv went on its first five-goal run, with two by Henry Brochu and three by Conley. But Cadet senior Drew Fleury – Nashua’s own – scored with 5.5 seconds left in the half and the Raider lead was 6-4.

Fleury, a South alum and the son of Milford High coach Darren Fleury, was a thorn in Rivier’s side all night as he finished with four goals and two assists for six points.

“I’ve got to put the yellow light on that kid in practice half the time,” Curry said. “Whatever that kid decides to do in life he’s going to do it 110 percent because that’s what he does for his teammates every single day.”

Besides Conley’s five goals and an assist, the Raiders got three by Brochu and two and an assist by DelPrete. Andrew Nee had a goal and an assist, Mason Schultz had a goal, and Conor Walsh two assists. Goalie Jake Lydon had 11 saves, the last one taking one for the team as he was shaken up at game’s end but did walk off the field after being tended to.

Now it’s on to the finals for a group the majority whom did not see regular playing time a year ago and became the first regular season unbeaten Rivier team ever.

“You just ask guys to do what they can do, and these guys do everything they can possibly do,” Delanoy said. “Three more days. We earn three more days.”

Rivier’s Mason Schultz tries to stay close with Norwich’s Drew Fleury, left, during Wednesday night’s GNAC semfinals at Merrill Field. Fleury is a Nashua South alum. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)