SCHENECTADY, N.Y.Union used a deep bench, balanced scoring, strong team defense and rebounding to defeat William Smith, 64-42, in a semi-final game of the Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association women's basketball tournament at Memorial Fieldhouse.

Saturday's (February 28) championship showdown sets up an all Capital District final as the Dutchwomen will take on cross-river rival Rensselaer at 4 p.m. The Red Hawks ended St. Lawrence's two-year reign as tournament title holders, 66-52. The winner of the event earns the conference's automatic bid in the NCAA tournament, which starts on Wednesday.

"Our depth was the key," said Union head coach Mary Ellen Burt, who earlier this week, along with assistant Jamie Seward, was named the conference's "Coaching Staff of the Year" for the second-straight season. "We wore them down in the second half.

"Our defense played very well. Anytime you can hold any opponent to under 45 points good things are probably going to happen. It was nice to see that our foul shooting is back on track."

The Dutchwomen took full advantage of their opportunities from the free throw line during the opening half, hitting all 13 of their shots. Union, which is now 22-3, finished the game with a 17-of-18 effort from the line.

Leading 7-6 with 14:16 left in the opening 20 minutes, Kate DeSorrento's layup and following free throw started Union on a 28-15 run that gave the Dutchwomen a 35-21 lead with 3:53 showing. DeSorrento followed her three-point play with a basket before five different players scored during the next six minutes, 10 seconds to give Union a 24-14 advantage. Emily Scott and Melissa Marra each contributed four points. The Garnet increased its margin to 14 points on free throws by Erika Eisenhut and Taryn Scinto and field goals by Eisenhut, Marra, and Krysal Hammond.

William Smith, which ends its season at 13-12, came back to within seven in the opening minutes of the second half, but DeSorrento's basket with 10:41 left to play started Union on a 17-2 run that increased the Dutchwomen's advantage to 62-40 with 5:21 left

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Back-to-back baskets by Pria Young and Ashley Rodger with 11:35 left brought William Smith back to within seven, 45-38. However, DeSorrento answered the Herons' challenge with consecutive hoops of her own before baskets by Katlyn Cunningham and Eileen Lowry gave Union a 15-point lead, 53-38, with 8:04 left. Rodger's basket at 7:54 broke the Herons' drought, but Hammond, a freshman forward, took over the game by scoring seven consecutive points on a pair of two-point field goals and a three-point bomb, before Nicole Cerniglia's layup iced the game.

DeSorrento was the only Dutchwomen to score in double digits as she finished with 11 points.

"Kate was a key player for us," said Burt of her junior guard. "She sparked us with a solid all-around game. I'm looking forward to a very exciting game against Rensselaer."

Rodger finished with 14 points for William Smith.