SCHENECTADY, N.Y.Sophomore guard Erika Eishenhut scored a game-high 19 points and Union used a swarming defense to hold Rensselaer's vaunted offense to just 18.5 percent from field as the Dutchwomen won their first-ever Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association women's basketball tournament title by defeating the Red Hawks, 66-39, at Memorial Fieldhouse.

The victory earns Union the conference's automatic berth in next week's NCAA Division III national championship tournament (which starts Wednesday, March 3). It is the first NCAA appearance in the 29-year history of the program for the Dutchwomen, who went into the weekend ranked fourth in the New York State Region. Seedings will be announced by the NCAA on Sunday (Feb. 29) at 10:00 p.m.

"This is definitely phenomenal," said ninth-year head coach Mary Ellen Burt. "Our players have so much faith in what we set as team goals, at what Jamie and I do (assistant coach Jamie Seward) within our system, and most importantly, they have faith in themselves and each other. This has been a team effort and attitude all year long and it is that unselfish play that has gotten us to this point in our season."

Union, which is now 23-3, broke last year's single-season victory total of 22. The Dutchwomen are 45-8 over the last two seasons.

The Dutchwomen, who won the UCAA regular-season title with its 13-1 record, led the conference in team defense with its 47.6 average against circuit foes and 49.3 average overall.. In their two games during the tournament, the Garnet gave up a total of 81 points. In the 64-42 semi-final win over William Smith, Union's defense limited the Herons to 27.9 percent from the field (17 of 61). In the championship, the Dutchwomen not only shut down the UCAA's leading offensive team (the Red Hawks came into the game averaging 66.4 points against conference foes and 68.6 overall), they gave up just 11 field goals in 58 RPI attempts.

Besides its tremendous defensive play, the Dutchwomen out-rebounded the Red Hawks, who came into the weekend averaging 44.7 rebounds to Union's 39.2 average, 47-35. Junior forward Emily Scott and Eisenhut, both of whom were selected to the All-Tournament team, each finished with nine boards. In fact, 10 of Union's 14 players pulled down at least two rebounds and 11 of the 14 team members scored at least one point.

"Rebounding, just like everything else we do, is a team effort," explained Burt when asked how her Dutchwomen were able to enjoy so much success against the taller Red Hawks. "Our forwards block out and our guards crash the lane to clean up."

Union, which defeated Rensselaer three times this year, including last Saturday's 67-63 win in Troy that earned the Dutchwomen the regular-season title and the right to host the championship tournament, never trailed in this one. Both teams opened the game with tremendous defensive efforts that produced poor shot opportunities and selections during the first 10:22 of the contest. Despite leading 10-5 on Scott's basket, the Dutchwomen were shooting just five of 19 from the field (26.3). More importantly, however, Union's defense limited Rensselaer to just one field goal on the Red Hawks' first 18 attempts (.055 percent).

Eisenhut, the conference's "Rookie of the Year" in 2003 and a member of the All-Conference First Team this season, took over the game by scoring the Dutchwomen's next nine points to help improve its lead to 20-12. She started her run with a jumper at 8:45, connected on a three-point basket at 7:38, and then knocked down a pair of two-point field goals at 6:54 and at 6:20, which gave her a five-for-eight effort at that point in the game. Freshman forward Krystal Hammond's first points of the game stretched Union's lead to 10, 22-12, with 4:59 left to play.

Despite their first-half shooting woes, the Red Hawks, who finished the first 20 minutes with a five of 27 effort from the field (18.5 percent), closed to within eight, 24-16 at the half. Caitlin Vestal and Kaitlyn Saunders each had four points in the final 7:53 and two free throws by Kristin Kaczynski with three seconds remaining put the Red Hawks right back in the hunt.

Kaczynski's layup off a rebound pulled Rensselaer back to within six, 24-18, but the Dutchwomen, who called for a timeout following the hoop, then went on a 14-0 run to pretty much put the game away.

Sophomore Nicole Cerniglia hit back-back-to-back three-point baskets at 18:53 and 18:00 before junior Katlyn Cunningham scored a layup and connected on a foul shot at the 17:35 mark. Eisenhut then scored consecutive field goals at 17:00 and 15:32 to give Union a 38-18 lead.

"Those two three-point shots that Nicole hit told us that we were here and that we were not going to back down," said Burt. "Jamie and I told the players during the time out to play within themselves, to play within the game plan, and to believe in themselves and their teammates."

After Vestal scored the game's next three points to cut Union's margin to 17, 38-21, with 14:06 left, the Dutchwomen scored 16 of the game's next 21 points to build its biggest advantage, 54-26, with 4:46 remaining. Six different Dutchwomen found the basket with Scott leading the way with six of her 12 points.

Kaczynski led Rensselaer, 20-6, with 13 points while Jackie Ferrari, who had 16 points, 11 rebounds, four steals and two assists in the Red Hawks' 66-52 semi-final victory over St. Lawrence (which ended the Saints two-year reign as tournament champions), led the Cherry and White with 10 rebounds. She was held to just five points. Meanwhile, Kaitlyn Saunders, who earlier in the week was voted the conference's co-"Player of the Year", was held to just eight points and six rebounds. Saunders, who had 17 points, eight rebounds, four assists and eight steals in the victory over the Saints, came into the weekend as the UCAA's scoring champion with her 15.9 average (16.7 overall).